St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Williamstown, Ontario : Report of centenary celebration, August 25th to September 2nd, 1912

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St. Andrew's Church, Williamstown.

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St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church

WILLIAMSTOWN, ONTARIO

Report of
| Centenary Celebration

August 25th to September 2nd, 1912

Congregation founded 1787
Church now in use erected 1812

THE STANDARD "b°

CORNWALL, ONT.
1916

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PREFACE

It has been truly said that in this comparatively new land,
we have "no stately piles hoary with antiquity" to command our
veneration, still we may look back with pride on the record of
the first century of the history of this part of Canada. Occasion
has been afforded for the review of the development and growth of
the country by a number of Centennial celebrations in Ontario.
That of the settlement of Upper Canada was held at Niagara in
1883, and of the settlement of Glengarry in 1884.

The object of the present sketch is to place on record the
celebration of another centennial in Glengarry, which was the
occasion of several notable gatherings at the historic village of
Williamstown, one of the first settlements founded by the pioneers
who came from the valley of the Mohawk with Sir John Johnson.
In this instance the celebration marked the 100th anniversary of
the erection of St. Andrew's Church, Williamstown, and the 125th
anniversary of the congregation. The church structure, which is
of stone, is an evidence of the lasting character of the masonry of
the pioneer days. The interior has been recently remodelled
and the church is now handsomely finished with modern pews
and other appointments. To commemorate the centennial a
brass tablet was placed on the wall bearing the following inscrip
tion:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD

In Loving Memory of the Founders

and Builders of this Church
and in Grateful Acknowledgment of
125 years of Divine Blessing and
Christian Service.
1787-1812-1912.
Erected Centenary Celebration
September, 1912.

The church-yard — St. Andrew's Cemetery — is situated
with the church, on the south bank of a ravine on one of nature's
beauty spots adjacent to the historic village of Williamstown.
It contains about four acres of land, and is always kept in a most
creditable condition. With the graves of the three pastors, who
have already gone to their reward, these sacred grounds afford
a resting place for the mortal remains of a large portion of the

people of St. Andrew's Church, who have, many of them, long
since passed away.

Within the enclosure there are two monuments dating as
far back as 1794.

The celebration lasted for over a week, special services being
held on two Sundays, August 25th and September 1st, with
gatherings in the interval at which addresses were delivered by
prominent speakers and distinguished sons of Glengarry, who
had come from distant points to lend their assistance. The
closing meeting was held on Monday, September 2nd, which
took the form of a memorial to the United Empire Loyalists
who settled in the Old Eastern District and more particularly
to those who formed the first congregation of St. Andrew's
Church.

Williamstown, Ontario.

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Report of

Centenary Celebration

The Opening Service

At the opening of the proceedings at the Church on Sunday,
August 25th, previous to the regular morning service, the Rev.
Alexander McGillivray, D.D., of Bonar Presbyterian Church,
Toronto, pastor of St. Andrew's Church, Williamstown, from
1877 to 1888, addressed the Sunday School children. He re
ferred to the love that ever remains in the hearts of men and
women for the place in which they spent their youth. He im
pressed upon the children not to forget their old home. "When
you grow big," he said, "some of you will go away, you may be liv
ing far away from here, as some of your fathers have; but they never
forgot the old place. Some of them are back to-day. I met some
people this morning who had returned because they loved the
old place. They knew the trees, the turn in the road, the old
river, the dear old church and schools." He appealed to the boys
and girls to emulate the good example of the men and women
who went before them and to be strong^ in the power that God
gives them to be better men and better women. The world was
growing better every day. To-day, he said, is the best day the
world ever saw. The boys of Glengarry to-day would be greater
than their fathers and forefathers, great as they had proved to be
in all walks of life, because of the better advantages that were
now at their command.

The service in the church was conducted by the pastor,
Rev. A. Govan, assisted by Rev. A. McGillivray, Rev. A. H.
Scott, M.A., of Perth, an old Glengarry boy, and Rev. H. C.
Sutherland, B.D., of Lancaster.

Rev. Mr. McGillivray delivered the morning sermon, and
took as his text, Hebrews, 13:8: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
to-day and forever." He referred briefly to the time when he
was pastor and also touched on the historical significance of
the celebration. He said, in part: "The memory of those who
were and are not, will be honored by us and will be sweet to us.
Their memory will be honored by the fact that the Lord whom
we honor today, that made them the men and women they were,
that made them strong and earnest and beautiful in service,
enabled them to build better than they knew. That they were

and did such is evidenced by the fact that the church established
125 years ago in Williamstown, had grown all over Canada, and
that the edifice erected 100 years ago is still used for service.

Rev. Professor George Bryce, D.D., LL.D., of Winnipeg,
member of the Royal Commission on Technical Education,
conducted the evening service. Prof. Bryce happened to be in
Ottawa just before the date of the celebration. As he had always
taken a keen interest in the Highlanders of Canada, he was asked
to take part.

Prof. Bryce took as the subject of his sermon: Psalm 74:5:
"A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the
thick trees." He said this is a eulogy of the pioneer. A pioneer
is a man who requires certain qualities of courage and nerve.
He needs to be energetic and wise, a man who never looks back,
a man full of enthusiasm for his life work and full of hope for the
future. What is true of the ideal pioneer settler is true of the
missionary and the religious leader on the frontier. He would
speak specially of three notable pioneers of Canada.

First, of Rev. John Bethune, who came to Williamstown
in 1787. He laid the foundation of the Williamstown Congrega
tion, and built the church which lasted till 1812, when the
building now in use was erected.

Rev. Mr. Bethune was born in Scotland on the Island of
Skye and went out in the old colony days to South Carolina.
He was a minister and became chaplain of a regiment. This
regiment was taken in the first years of the American war and
he was made a prisoner and exchanged. After that he went to
Nova Scotia and organized a regiment there, of which he was
also chaplain. Then he came to Montreal and was there for
two years from 1784-86. After that he had a grant of land in
the* Williamstown section, and he came here in 1787 and laid the
foundation of this church. It is quite remarkable the influence
he had. He laid the foundation not only of this church, but also
of the congregations at Martintown, Cornwall and Lancaster.
He performed 2379 baptisms in this district and seems to have
been a very good organizer, as his statistics are all in good shape.
He was the father of the second Bishop of Toronto, and the
Dean of Montreal, and four other sons who erected a monument
to his memory in the grave yard at Williamstown. He was the
first Presbyterian minister in Upper Canada and this was his
first congregation. In 1803 Lord Selkirk on his trip to Canada
after founding the Prince Edward Colony, came down from
Toronto and stayed a day or two with Mr. Bethune and got all
the facts regarding the Highlanders here.

The next pioneer he would allude to, Dr. James McGregor,
was a Highlander, born in Perthshire, who came out to Pictou
county, Nova Scotia, in 1786. He was a man who supported

education very strongly, one of the results being the Pictou
Academy, which had educated a large number of professional
men and ministers. In 1877 it was reported that 88 ministers
had been drawn from the people of Pictou and many more since.
He was joined a few years later by Dr. McCulloch and his de
scendants are very notable. The present Lieutenant Governor
of Nova Scotia is a grandson of Dr. Jas. McGregor. His in
fluence as a Highlander and early settler was very notable in
Nova Scotia.

Turning our eyes to far Western Canada we find that one
hundred years ago this year a colony of Scottish Highlanders
settled on the banks of the Red River and a centennial has been
held in Winnipeg. They were sent out by Lord Selkirk and were
the first settlers on the Red River. As a result of their settling
there Britain had a claim on that country, which would not have
existed had they been merely fur-traders. To this colony we
owe the strength of Presbyterianism in Western Canada. In
due time one of our greatest men, Dr. James Robertson, who was
also a Perthshire Highlander, came to that country and laid
the foundations of many churches in the far west. All these
men were noted for their force of character, determination
and church statesmanship. We owe to them to a very large
extent the strong grip that the Presbyterian Church has taken
in all parts of Canada, centre, east and west.

Many are the other pioneers who have gained a well de
served fame in the century and a quarter from the coming of
John Bethune, for their self-denial, energy, perseverance, and
courageous outlook which have made, under God's blessing, the
Presbyterian church the largest and most progressive body among
the Protestant churches of the Dominion of Canada.

A Social Re-Union

On Tuesday a social re-union was held on the beautiful
grounds of The Manor House, the residence of Col. D. M.
Robertson, M.V.O., when addresses were delivered by several
of the neighboring clergy and laymen in reference to the con
gregation and those connected therewith. The weather was
threatening in the morning, but it cleared up and the afternoon
was delightful. There was a large gathering and the splendid
lawn presented a very bright and animated appearance while the
people were assembling to hear the speeches. Many had lun
cheon on the grounds in good old pic-nic fashion, and it was a
most enjoyable outing. The Union Jack floated from the flag
staff In the centre of the lawn, and the verandah, which was
used as a platform for the speakers, was gaily decorated with

flags, the Scottish Ensign occupying the chief place of promi
nence.

The Manor House is one of the oldest residences in the
Eastern District, the original portion of it having been built over
a hundred years ago. It is a fine old place, and, while the present
owner has improved it considerably, he has made no alterations
that would in any degree lessen the historic interest connected
with it. The original owner of this property was Sir John
Johnson, and the centre part of the house was built during his
time. He never made his home in Williamstown, but visited
it occasionally. His interests were looked after by Capt.
Phillip Byrne, who divided his time between Williamstown and
St. Andrews, in the county of Argenteuil, where Sir John had
a large tract of land. Capt Byrne had a power of attorney from
Sir John to grant deeds and leases. In some of these he is de
scribed as a resident of Charlottenburgh ; in others as a resident
of the parish of St. Andrews, in Argenteuil. About 1821, Sir
John sold his Williamstown property to Mr. Hugh McGillis, who
had been a member of the North West Company. He added on
to the building the rear portion of it. On his death, in 1849,
he left the property to his nephew, John McGillis, who shortly
after succeeding to it, built the front portion of the house. Mr.
McGillis sold the property in 1871 to the later Murdoch McLen
nan, who, at his death in 1897, left it to his nephew, Col. Robert
son, the present owner.

The chair was occupied by the Rev. Arpad Govan, B.A.,
pastor of the church.

The proceedings opened with a glee, entitled "Ring Merry
Bells," by the choir of St. Andrew's church, led by Prof. Beal, of
Brockville, which was admirably rendered. There was also
stirring Scotch music on the bagpipes by Mr. Munro, of Lan
caster, who wore his Highland kilts.

Rev. Arpad Govan, B.A.

Rev. Mr. Govan delivered a short opening address. He said :
Ladies and gentlemen : -I congratulate you on the occasion
that has brought us together. I congratulate myself also, be
cause I happen to be the minister of the church, the oldest in
Ontario, with the possible exception of one established about the
same time in Kingston, where another U. E. Loyalist, Dr. Stewart,
started the work of the Anglican church, at all events among
English speaking people. I congratulate you also upon being
chiefly descendants of the early settlers, the U. E. Loyalists, a
congregation of splendid principle, and who were not afraid to
make sacrifices for that principle.

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I think we do well to honor their memory, and we gather
largely for that reason to-day, so that their descendants and
their friends may have a social re-union. Among the first families
connected with the congregation and from which men for three
generations have been Elders, are the McKenzies of the Glen,
now represented in the old home by Mrs. Barbara McKenzie
and daughter, in whose possession are a number of old papers of
much interest, some of which will be printed when we get out a
report of these proceedings. The men of this family who have
been Elders are Duncan, William and Hugh. Before calling
on the first speaker, I am going to read an obituary notice from
the Presbyterian, a missionary and religious record, of 1849.

"At the residence of his eldest son, Mr. Duncan M'Dougal, Charlptten-
burg, U.C., on the 19th November, Mr. John M'Dougal a U. E. Loyalist, at
the venerable age of 98. He was a native of Corrimony, in the parish of Urqu-
hart, Inverness-shire, from which he emigrated in 1773, and settled in Little
White Creek, in the State of New York. Upon the breaking out of the Revolu
tionary War, after receiving much ill-usage at the hands of the insurgents, as
he rejected every inducement to unite with them, he managed to join General
Burgoyne's army, and acted with it till it surrendered at Saratoga in October,
1777. On recovering his liberty he joined the 84th Regiment, in which he
served till he was regularly discharged at Montreal in 1779. In 1780 he re
moved to Coteau du Lac, and in 1784 to the front of Lancaster, where he resided
till within a few months of his death, respected and esteemed by all who knew
him. In 1790 he was ordained an Elder of the First Presbyterian Congrega
tion in connexion with the Church of Scotland formed in Upper Canada, under
the charge of the late Reverend John Bethune, and, like his brother Elders,
appointed at the same time, and now all gone to the "house appointed for all
living," adorned the office by a life and conversation becoming the Gospel.
At the period of his death he was the senior Elder of the Church in Canada,
and probably in British North America."

Among his great grandchildren, we have Col. Donald
McGregor, who will now address you.

Col. McGregor, Martintown

Col. McGregor disclaimed any pretence to oratory, the
greater portion of his life having been passed, as he said, among
the wildest and woolliest of Canada's possessions. Celebrating,
as they were, the 125th anniversary of the congregation of St.
Andrew's, they had, in common with all Canadians, much to be
thankful for, in having the best form of government in the world,
unequalled educational institutions, religious privileges, the
freedom of the press and liberty of speech. It therefore behooved
them on occasions like the present, to acquaint themselves with
those who had laid the foundations of Canada and done their
share in making Canada what it was. A few years ago, said
Col. McGregor, he had the pleasure of attending a banquet at
the Canadian Club in Vancouver, when he met Sir Frederick

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Bridge, for thirty-five years organist of Westminster Abbey,
London, England, who was just completing a tour of Canada in
the interest of the best music. He happened to meet the cele
brated organist at the Vancouver Club, and the conversation
turned to titles. Sir Frederick told us, said the speaker, that
in recognition of his services rendered to the Empire as a musician,
he had been knighted by our late beloved sovereign, Queen
Victoria. We all agreed that he was entitled to all the degrees
conferred upon him; he was a gentlemen of high attainments.
He mentioned the date of his appointment. Just at the time he
received his appointment as organist of Westminster Abbey,
Simon Eraser was encamped with his men on the banks of what
is now known as the Eraser River. The two men with Eraser
were Duncan McMartin, of Martintown, and James May.
I me.nt.ion James May at this time as an illustration of the point
I am trying to make. James May never rode on a railway. He
never saw one. He always kept in advance of civilization, ex
ploring and prospecting, penetrating the mountain wilds, and
even going into the deep recesses of the mountains in search of
gold, paving the way for civilization. I refer to James May.
I do not know whether he is living or not. A voice said: "I
saw him two years ago in Hazel ton." Well, I said, why not have
James May knighted; he blazed the trail for Sir Frederick
Bridge to go out on. I got the applause of the house.

"Now I refer to Duncan McMartin. It often occurred to
me that Providence had so arranged the rich mineral deposits of
the earth that man in his search for the precious metals might
instantly discover other resources of the country. British
Columbia, for instance, with its grandeur of scenery, its beautiful
valleys, fish-teaming rivers, its tens of thousand grassy hills, and
its forests of spruce and stately fir trees, remained mostly in the
possession of the Indians and the Hudson Bay Co., until the dis
covery of gold placers on the Eraser River in 1858. Look at
British Columbia to-day and think that at one time it was noth
ing but a sea of mountains. He (Duncan McMartin) led the
vanguard. This is a little paragraph of unwritten history in
Canada. Up the Eraser River in 1860-61, he paved the way,
up the Horse Fly Valley, across the Quesnel River, into the Antler
Creek, and reached there in 1861, and opened the way for civili
zation on the Pacific Coast. This man was Duncan McMartin,
of Martintown."

Col. McGregor said Mr. Go van had made reference to his
great-grandfather, John McDougall, a U. E. Loyalist, who settled
on the front of Lancaster, about a mile east of Lancaster village.
John McDougall, with his two sons, Donald and Duncan Mc-
Dougal, had been instrumental in building the first St. Andrew's
Church in Lancaster, buying the lumber at Fort Covington, N.Y.,

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and towing it across the lake in a raft. That church was com
pleted in 1790. There was great good feeling among the people
of different faiths in those early days, said the speaker. When
the present St. Andrew's was in progress, Hugh McGillis, Hon.
John McGillivray and Mr. Cameron, were raising money for the
purpose and called on Bishop McDonell of St. Raphael. On
telling him their mission, the Bishop scolded Mr. McGillis, who
was a Roman Catholic, on being engaged in helping to build a
Protestant Church and threatened him with all sorts of ecclesi
astical penalties. They were about to depart when the Bishop
asked what was to be done with the old church, "That is to be
torn down," was the answer. "In that case," said the Bishop,
who was not so much in earnest as he pretended to be," "I can
well afford to give £20 to tear down a Protestant church." And
he did. (Laughter).

Col. McGregor alluded in feeling terms to Rev. John Mc-
Kenzie, Rev. Peter Watson and Rev. A. McGillivray, former
pastors of St. Andrew's, and believed that in the present pastor,
Rev. A. Govan, they had a worthy successor to these great men.
It spoke well for the people of Williamstown and their selections,
that they had given an average of a quatrer of a century to each
of their ministers. How these pioneers of religion and of com
merce would be welcomed if they returned to us to-day. No
honor would be too great to bestow upon them. The remains of
Bethune, McKenzie and Watson were in the church-yard hard-
by, the bones of Duncan McMartin rested not in Westminster
Abbey, but on the banks of the Fraser river near New West
minster. Peace to their ashes.

Historical Sketch

Rev. Mr. Govan : Among those splendid men of Glengarry
who have stood high and exercised a splendid influence either
in the days of 100 years ago or in these later times, to my mind
none have stood higher and none exercised a better or stronger
influence than one whom we had hoped to have with us to-day,
but who is laid aside by illness. I refer to George H. McGilli
vray, a man upon whom we had depended largely for an historical
sketch. He w^as very much interested in the history of the
neighborhood and particularly this part of the county, and was
in every way qualified to give us a sketch. But we cannot have
him with us to-day as the Providence of God has ordered other
wise. I am sure you are glad that I referred to him to-day, and
every one, not only of St. Andrew's congregation, but throughout
the whole county, regrets very much to hear that he has to be
laid aside at the age of 76 through illness. We have, however, one
who is able to be with us, and we will now have a reading from

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an historical sketch by Mr. F. D. McLennan, in which you will
be very much interested.

Mr. McLennan read the following:

The settlement of Glengarry and the adjacent counties to the
West, commenced in the summer of 1784. The first settlers
were United Empire Loyalists, and those who located at Williams-
town and vicinity had for the 'most part been residents of the
Mohawk Valley in New York State, where many of them had
held land under Sir William Johnson and his son, Sir John
Johnson. Most of the men had been members of the 84th Regi
ment or the King's Royal Regiment of New York.

The site of Williamstown was a grant from the Crown to
Sir John Johnson, and the village was so named in memory of
Sir William who had died in 1774.

At the commencement of the Revolution Sir John Johnson
was the largest land-owner in the American Colonies, and to com
pensate him in some measure for his losses, he got large grants of
land in Canada. Sir John Johnson was no doubt influenced in
his selection of the site of Williamstown by the fact that there
was waterpower on the River Raisin here. While it is uncertain
when he built the mills it was likely very shortly after the com
mencement of the settlement. Among some of the early settlers
the place was known as Mill Town.

Each U. E. Loyalist got a grant of two hundred acres of land,
and each of his children on coming of age got a similar grant,
while those who had held commissions in the Army got larger
grants according to their rank.

The Presbyterian Church in Williamstown was organized
early in the summer of 1787 by the Rev. John Bethune. As an
officer in the Revolutionary War he had drawn land in Glen
garry, and to be near it he located in Williamstown. The first
church was an unpretentious log building which stood till com
paratively recently near the north end of the bridge on the lot
now occupied by Mr. John A. McDonald, merchant. The fur
nishing was very primitive, the seats being planks resting on
cedar blocks. Besides serving as a church it also did duty
through the week as a school, and after it ceased to be used for
church purposes the uses it was put to were many and varied.
It was at times the village post office, a general store, a girl's
school, a tavern, and a dwelling house.

The second church was of stone and stood a little to the
east of the present church. It appears strange that so little
information can be had regarding it. There evidently was some
fault in the construction of it as the roof fell in shortly after it
was erected. The bell in the present church was quite likely
got for the first stone church. It bears this inscription:

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"1806. Thomas Mears & Sons of London, Fecit.

The gift of Sir Alexander Mackenzie,
To the Presbyterian Church of Glengarry,
Province of Upper Canada, North America
The Rev. John Bethune, Minister."

There are extant the minutes from July 29th, 1816, to March
21st, 1818, of the committee in charge of the affairs of the church;
also a book containing accounts of the contributions made by the
members of the congregation in time, money, and material for the
building of the present church. This book was not kept con
current with the progress of the work but was written up in
Feb., 1817, by John McKenzie, a member of the committee re
ferred to. The earliest contributions to the building fund men
tioned in this book were made in 1809, when about £115 are
credited to different members of the congregation, and in 1811
about £60. The only disbursements mentioned prior to 1812
are £6 lls. 8d. paid Arthur Gilmore in 1809 for coming from
Montreal to inspect the foundation of the old church, and lls. 8d.
on the same account paid to John Prescott at the same time.

The walls of the present church were built in 1812 by Francis
H. Rocheleau, of Kingston, who died during the progress of the
work. His account is charged with the payment of bills to
Doctors Brown and Dickinson, also with some expenses in con
nection with his funeral. After his death the interests of his
estate were looked after by his foreman, John Kirby, with
whom the committee settled. The total amount of Mr.
Rocheleau's contract, including interest on some deferred pay
ments, was £205 Os. lljd. It would appear that all material
was found for him, also the unskilled labor, and that his contract
required him to furnish only the skilled labor necessary to erect
the walls. The roof was got on in the fall of 1812 and early
spring of 1813. Owing to the war nothing further was done in
1813, and very little in 1814. In 1815 about the only work done
was laying the under floor, which was done by William Hay.
The steeple was built in 1816 by Pierre Poitras, of Montreal,
whose contract amounted to £212 10s. Od. He was also paid in
addition £10 17s. Od. for the copper weather cock, which is
mentioned as being "gold leafed." The plastering was done in
1816-17 by James Gumming, and the interior woodwork, which
was commenced in the spring of 1816, was not completed till
March, 1818. Andrew Fisher was the contractor for this part
of the work.

Most of the lumber used in the church was sawed in the
Williamstown Mill, then operated by John Wright, but some was
got from Walter Buchannon, at the Salmon River. The window
sashes were furnished by John Anderson and John Kay, while the

15

glass that went into them was bought from John and James
Dunlop. The size of the glass was 8J x 9J.

The total cost of the church was about £2,000, and each
member of the congregation had to contribute £20 before he was
entitled to a pew.

On Feb. 23rd, 1818, the first division of pews was made by
lot, after setting aside a pew for the minister's family and pews for
the Elders, for Sir Alexander McKenzie and for the North West
Company.

In the minutes referred to the only elders mentioned as such
were Col. Neil McLean, ruling elder; Hugh McDonell and Mur
doch McPherson. The members of the committee were John
Wright, D. McPherson, Peter Ferguson, Duncan Ferguson and
John McKenzie. Alexander McGruer was treasurer. The care
taker of the church was David Stuart.

When built the church was roofed with shingles, and it
narrowly escaped when the Red House, a tavern which stood on
the lot in front of it, was burned. Sparks fell on the church roof,
which caught fire, but some of those present got up on the inside
of the building and were able to extinguish the fire after making a
hole in the roof. The Red House was owned by Mrs. Campbell,
a member of the congregation, and, according to the minutes,
meetings of the Committee were occasionally held there.

As originally built the gallery in the church extended across
both ends and the north side, the pulpit being on the south side
with precentor's desk in front of it. Through the centre of the
church, from end to end, were two rows of box pews, which for
Communion services, were opened out to form two long tables
with seats on either side of them. On the south side of the
church the pews faced the pulpit, being at right angles to the
side walls, and on the north side the pews were similarly placed
at right angles to the side walls. This arrangement of the north
side pews was afterwards changed and they were placed parallel
with the side walls. Shortly after Mr. Watson's pastorate com
menced several pews in the south east corner were removed and
the space partitioned off for a Vestry. About 1866 the iron
fence along the street in front of the church was built, and a few
years later a porch was built inside the front door. During the
pastorate of Mr. MacGillivray the inside of the church was re
modelled as it is at present, furnaces installed to replace the old
box stoves and the vestry built.

The original Glebe was composed of the West Half of Lot
50, on the north side of the River Raisin, and included the part
south of the Lancaster road, as well as the present Glebe. The
house now occupied by Mr. Farquhar Robertson was built by
Mr. Bethune, and here he resided till his death. By his will
Mr. Bethune left his Williamstown property to his wife, and

16

shortly after his death she sold the Glebe to Mr. David Thompson.
The title to the Church and burying-ground had been vested in
Mr. Bethune personally, and on his death passed to his wife, and
when she conveyed the Glebe to Mr. Thompson, perhaps in
advertently, the title to the Church and Burying Ground was
included. The title which the congregation now have to the
Church and burying ground is a deed from Mr. Thompson, dated
May 4th, 1819, to Alexander McKenzie, Alexander McGruer,
Hugh McDonell, Thomas Munroe, Daniel McPherson and
John McKenzie as trustees. Mr. Thompson was the surveyor
and explorer after whom the Thompson River in British Columbia
was named. He had for some years been in the employ of the
North West Company, but retiring from the service engaged in
business at Williamstown. In 1819 he sold the present Glebe to
Mr. Donald Fraser, who sold it to the congregation in 1820, the
deed being made to Alexander McGregor, John McKenzie,
Donald McPherson, John McNaughton, Alexander McKenzie,
Donald McLaurin and Hugh Chisholm.

Rev. H. C. Sutherland

REV. MR. Go VAN: We have with us to-day a gentleman
who has not been in Glengarry very long, but who has recently
made a trip to the United States, and visited the spot where
Sir William Johnson succeeded in winning a battle, and for the
winning of that battle received a title whiqh is still in the family
and which is held by a young man now in the employ of the
C.P.R. in Montreal, and who inherits the title of Knight from
Sir William. I introduce to you Rev. H. C. Sutherland, of
Lancaster.

REV. MR. SUTHERLAND: I feel very pleased that the chair
man in introducing me did not trace my ancestry back as he did
that of Col. McGregor. Some time ago I myself tried to in
vestigate my genealogy, but I did not proceed far until I thought
it better to stop lest I should come to the time when some of my
ancestors had their heads removed for stealing the Lowlanders
cattle. Moreover, in looking into the history of that north
country from which my forbears hailed, I became afraid that
I would have to say what Robert Burns said when he tried to
trace his ancestry: "My plebian and ignoble blood has run
through scoundrels ever since the flood."

Of all who are to speak here to-day, I am the one who knows
least of the history of this congregation. Yet from what I have
heard, and from what I have read, I know that it is an exceedingly
honorable history, alike to the ministers who have served it, and
to the people who have composed it. And it therefore affords me
much pleasure to congratulate you on your history, and on behalf

17

of my congregation in Lancaster to wish you all prosperity and
every blessing.

As the chairman has said, a few weeks ago, with my wife,
I took a trip through a region in which you are necessarily in
terested at this time, when you are recalling the beginnings of the
settlement here, inasmuch as it was the former home of many
of the first settlers in this district, and the place where Sir William
Johnson, after whom this village is called, and Sir John Johnson,
the original proprietor of the ground on which this village stands,
won their fame, the valley which runs from New York up into
Canada. We began our outing at Lake George, a beautiful
sheet of water, embowered in the eastern bastions of the Adiron-
dacks, which Herbert Spencer declared to be the most picturesque
thing he had seen in the United States. We walked over the
ground at the head of this lake on which Sir William Johnson
fought the battle by which he suddenly leaped into fame. There
he had met the French under Baron Dieskau, as they were
marching south, hoping to capture Albany, and then to take
New York, and with inferior numbers he had inflicted on him a
crushing defeat. As this victory closed the way to New York,
General Johnson received the thanks of the British Parliament,
with £5,000, and was created a baronet. As the battle was
fought without entrenchments and without fortifications, there
was nothing left to show that this ground was once the scene of so
sanguinary a conflict. But in the home of the keeper we saw
some of the balls and some parts of the weapons that man had
employed to slay his brother. We also stood beside the monu
ment which has recently been erected near where General
Johnson stood during the engagement, and which represents him
as standing beside the Mohawk chief, who was his ally on that
day, watching the fateful struggle. Afterwards we walked over
the grounds on which General Johnson subsequently built
Fort William Henry, with walls of pine logs, covered with sand
and surrounded by ditches. The fort stood only two years
when the brilliant Montcalm came with 10,000 men, and wrested
it from Col. Munro, who had less than a fourth of that number,
and then threw its logs into a great heap, .adding the dead bodies
that had filled the casemates, and kindled the whole into a
mighty funeral pyre. After that Montcalm retired to Fort
Ticonderoga which stood at the head of Lake Champlain, and
not far from the other end of Lake George.

The only traces we could find of Fort William Henry were
the ditches, and the remoteness of the event is indicated by the
tall trees which have grown up in them since the besiegers there
bit the dust.

But the British determined to retrieve the disaster, and in
the following year General Abercrombie came with 15,000 men,

18

and encamped on this very ground while he prepared to proceed
against Montcalm at Ticonderoga. When all was ready he put
his army and all his stores and supplies into 1,000 boats and sailed
down the lake. Parkman, the historian, says that the spectacle
was superb as that army moved down the sparkling water, the
bordering mountains with their green summits and sunny crags,
the flash of oars, and glitter of weapons, the banners, the varied
uniforms, and the notes of bugle, trumpet, bagpipe, and drum,
answered and prolonged by a thousand woodland echoes. At
the lower end of Lake George they disembarked, and began the
march for Ticonderoga. But the wily Montcalm, who had only
3,500 troops, dug trenches some distance from the fort and pro
tected them with strong breastworks of trees behind which his
men were securely sheltered from the fire of the British, who were
mowed down as they approached in the open. When night fell
Abercrombie retreated with a loss of 2,000 men, and with that
repulse his career of incapacity came to an end. In the following
year, however, General Amherst came down Lake George
with 12,000 men, and on his approach the French blew up most
of Fort Ticonderoga and retired permanently into Canada.
As we walked over that field which had once been red with
human blood, and lingered about the ruins of that famous fort,
we realized what a terrible thing war is.

Later on we found ourselves at Saratoga Springs, which Sir
William Johnson was the first white man to visit. He had fallen
ill, and his Indian friends had brought him there to be healed.
He recovered very rapidly, and they camevto the conclusion that
the waters, which have since become justly celebrated, had cured
him. Later still we passed by the lower end of the Mohawk
valley, which was the home of Sir William Johnson, and also of
many of the first settlers of this district. Sir William died there
just at the outbreak of the revolutionary war, and his son, Sir
John Johnson took the side of the British, and fought in various
engagements. For his services and his sacrifices, for through tak
ing the side of the British he lost his estates in the Mohawk valley,
the British authorities rewarded him by a grant of land in this
district. Three wars have been fought in that valley, but now
for 100 years the bordering hills have not echoed with the sound
of battle, and we were greatly pleased to find such a friendly
spirit there towards the British Empire. As we were sailing up
Lake George one evening in a party of 30, song after song arose
from the throats of the happy company, and finally they broke
out with:. "My Country 'tis of Thee." And then, remembering
that we who lived under another flag were of the party, they
sang, "Rule Britannia," and they sang it just as heartily as they
had sung their own national song. And while we sang, the
Union Jack was flying there beside the Stars and Stripes. It was

19

a joy to hear and see this, but all the same, when, not long after
wards, we crossed the border, and were once more under the
British flag, the flag that stands for righteousness, peace, and
civilization wherever it's peerless colors are flung out, I lifted
my heart, and said: "God save the King."

The Second Generation

REV. MR. Go VAN: I read you at the beginning of the
celebration an obituary notice of Mr. McDougall of Lancaster.
I am now going to read you an obituary notice of the second
generation. You will nearly all remember Mr. A. C. McDonell,
or as some people called him, "Sandy Ossian." He passed to his
reward a few years ago. As I knew him, he was one of the men
in whom I could place the most implicit confidence; a man I
knew intimately and learned to love; a man of intense loyalty,
loyalty to his native land, his church, and his friends; in whose
loyalty I believe there was no flaw. If there was I never saw it.
I am sure you are all glad to hear me speak in this way of him, a
man to whom St. Andrew's church owes a great deal for his
untiring interest and for the splendid life he has lived.

I am reading now the obituary of his father. I speak my
self concerning him, but here is the obituary concerning his
father, Mr. A. C. McDonell. His grandfather was also one of
the oldest U. E. Loyalists who settled at the corner where Mr.
Ewen Dingwall now lives. This obituary was published in
1871.

IN MEMORIAM

Died at his residence, Ossian Hall, on Tuesday morning, the 29th of
August last, Alexander McDonell, in the eighty-second year of his age

Mr. McDonell was ordained to the office of the eldership in the Church,
of Williamstown, in connection with the Church of Scotland, in the year
1853, and continued in the office till the day of his death.

He was a kindly and Christian man, warmly and deeply attached to the
church in which he was an elder, thoroughly and devotedly loyal to the British
Crown.

For the last eleven years, he was so afflicted with rheumatism as to be con
fined to his bed, except as he was removed, but he was patient in all his suffer
ings, waiting the appointed time, that he should leave this world, and when the
time came his end was peace.

With Simeon, the aged believer, we hope that he could say, "Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

There is still another obituary, James Dingwall of the
River Road, lying between here and Lancaster. He was a man
of splendid character, and, as I said concerning A. C. McDonell,
a man of loyalty to church, crown and friends; a man in whom I
had absolute confidence; a man who for many years led the
singing in the church choir; his father had done so before him;

20

his father had been an elder and his grandfather had been an
elder in the church. He exerted a good influence by his splendid
character. The following is the obituary concerning Mr.
Dingwall :

Died at his residence, Charlottenburgh, Glengarry, on the 2nd of March,
1869, James Dingwall, Esq., in the 72nd year of his age.

The deceased was ordained an elder in the Church of Williamstown, in
the year 1833, and continued in the sacred office till the day of his death.

Mr. Dingwall was a very unassuming and prudent man, a wise counselor,
most exemplary in his walk and conversation, regular in his attendance on the
ordinances of religion, warm in his attachment to the Church of his fathers,
the venerable Church of Scotland. His bereaved family may well mourn his
loss^ and the congregation of St. Andrew's Church, whose prosperity was dear
to him and for which he so long labored, may also mourn his loss.

He was precentor in the Gaelic language; his sweet voice and venerable
appearance, especially at communion seasons, added much to the solemnity
of the scene, and will not soon be forgotten.

Of him we trust it may be said, Blessed are the dead that die in the
Lord.

Rev. George Bryce, D.D., LL.D.

REV. MR. Go VAN: We have with us to-day a man who
has taken a great interest in things historical-, not only in Glen
garry, but all throughout Canada. I now call upon Prof.
Bryce, of Winnipeg.

PROF. BRYCE said:

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have very great pleasure in being
here to-day. I may say that I am quite at home. It is the
first time I have been in Williamstown, but yet I feel at once a
chord of sympathy which I can hardly explain. I suppose it is
partly that I am interested in the early history of our country.
Another reason is that I have met a good many men from Glen
garry and others from the Highland settlements, who have settled
in the far West. They laid the foundations there. I am pleased
to be here also to-day as I have some of the same blood as the
Glengarrians in my veins. I believe I belong to the Forbes
Highlanders. Dr. Burns, of Knox College, Toronto, was lecturing
to his students one day and he said: "You cannot do better
young men than get in close touch, in your mission fields, with
some good old Highlander, whose precepts and example you would
do well to follow." Then after a moment's hesitation: "I don't
know that I would say an Argyleshire Highlander!"

But whether you come from the Scottish east or west, it is
much the same now. The Highland character has many in
teresting features. Some years ago I was down at a great
Scottish gathering at New Haven, where the Highlanders from
Canada and the United States were joined in Council. At the
great meeting there were some interesting stories told. I believe

21

Glengarry does not allow any of the ancient inspiring beverage,
which their ancestors used to have, to come within its borders
since the county is now "dry." But long ago there were three
men, and you will recognize them as Highlanders. They were
speaking together and as was the custom, were having a "glass"
together.

One said: "This iss the best 'uisquebae' that I tasted for-
evermore, whateffer!"

The second remarked: "So did I neether," while the third
deliberately stated, "Neffer did I too!"

In New Haven at the close of the meeting there were a dozen
reporters from all parts of the United States, who ran up to the
speaker with their note books, saying: "Would you please repeat
the words of the story again." Farther West in Canada we have
still little stories of this kind. You have heard about Zorra,
which is not quite the same as Williamstown, though its people
are largely descended also from old soldiers. There was a
Zorra man who said when Canada was attacked: "Well, the
Fenians may maybe take Canada, but they'll no take Zorra."
Out far West is my country, in Minnedosa there was an old lady
who said she came from the tenth concension of Huron, when
another old lady replied: "Well, my people came from the
eleventh." But I know another better than that. An old lady
visitor of ours said during the severe weather : "I don't know what
the people here mean, when they say: 'it is forty degrees below
Zorra.' '

I could tell, remarked Prof. Bryce, one or two more such
stories, but you would drive me away.

A voice: "Go on!"

Well then, one more. There was once a Highlander who
was ill in the hospital and they did not know how to arouse him
at all. It was finally decided that they would get the Highland
piper, such as we have here to-day. So the piper came and
played a full blast up and down the corridor of the hospital in
front of the patient's door. Gradually, bit by bit, the patient
responded, finally raised himself slowly to the reviving strains,
but unfortunately all the rest of the patients died.

I am very pleased to be here to-day, and to note the reminis
cent tone which has been followed in the meeting. The old
U. E. Loyalist spirit is one I have been familiar with since my
boyhood. I was born in the County of Brant and the Indians
were of that part of the country that came as Loyalists from the
Mohawk in New York State. Many of them were fine men,
true to king and country, and true to the best British instinct
which we have. Although they had red skins they were the
colleagues of our people and were most useful settlers. Joseph
Brant, their chief, was one of the friends of Sir William Johnson,

22

from whom your Williamstown was named, and whose son
Sir John Johnson settled among you.

Ladies and Gentlemen, thus it affords me a great deal of
pleaure here to-day to see the spirit of loyalty, of enthusiasm,
and of religious devotion all united together. It is a great thing
when a country begins right. I have seen in the far West, as
wrell as in the East, that what the first settlers that make up a
community are, that is what the settlement is likely to be. I
have seen dozens of cases of it in the West. I have seen places
where a drunken, indifferent lot of settlers came, and the com
munity is of that type still. At the same time I have seen places
where godly men, such as we have here to-day, lived among trials
and difficulties — where religious life was difficult in the rough
borderland, where there is so much that is untrue and unreal,
and I have seen them by their steadiness and earnestness mould
their surroundings into a temperate and God-fearing com
munity. This has been brought to mind very vividly by the
reminescences which have been recited here to-day. This is a
great thing. We have to look back to a noble parentage. Their
remains lie over yonder in Williamstown cemetery. They
were the good men who laid the foundations of our happiness and
prosperity.

I came across a very interesting reference recently in connec
tion with your pioneer, Rev. John Bethune. In the year 1803,
as you will find in the Archives at Ottawa, Lord Selkirk, who
afterward laid the foundations for the Kildonan Settlement in
Manitoba, and also established a colony of Highlanders in
Prince Edward Island, after visiting the island went West
to New York, and came out at Buffalo Creek, now Buffalo City,
N.Y., and visited Canada, crossing the Niagara River. He visited
Toronto (York), came down Lake Ontario and visited several
places, including Kingston. Reaching Williamstown, he says:
"I went to see the Presbyterian minister, Rev. John Bethune
and stayed with him. He gave me an account of the Highland
Settlement, and then he referred to the good people that came
from the Old Country." This has never been published before,
and there is much more for us to know.

In closing I may say that I think such memorial gatherings
as this do a great deal to make the people anxious to know what
the true principles of liberty are; what men can do by co-opera
tive effort, and to show what unselfishness, sympathy and gen
erosity can accomplish for our native land.

I congratulate you on belonging to this community. I have
an interest in David Thompson, the great explorer and surveyor,
to whom reference has been made here to-day. He did much good
service in the old fur-trading days. He came from the far West
poor, and died here poor. He deserved far more reward than

23

he received. But it is no disgrace to be poor. It is a great thing
that we have a country richer with the remembrance of such men
as David Thompson. Some may admire and talk about million
aires. They are aften sordid ; but many of the men of the older
days had generous instincts and high ideals. These are the' men
who live for the future. These are the heroes of the world and
we do well to honor them. I have great pleasure in thanking
you for the opportunity of being here to-day and of saying a word
or two.

Hugh Munro, M.P.P.

REV. MR. Go VAN: Among the people who crossed from the
other side as U. E. Loyalists was the great grandfather of one
who is with us to-day. He is not a clergyman, but a man whom
many of you know and will be glad to hear. He was one of those
whose great grandfather took part in the organization of this
church, and continued to support it, I am sure, throughout his
life. His remains, with those of his wife and others of the
family, lie in the church-yard across the way. I refer to Mr.
Hugh Munro, M.P.P., for Glengarry, who comes to us to-day
to the home of Col. Robertson, who opposed him in the pro
vincial election.

Mr. Govan referred to the friendly way in which the con
test between Mr. Munro and Col. Robertson had been carried
out.

MR. HUGH MUNRO: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen:
Like the other speakers that preceded me, I may also say that
I am very pleased to be here with you. When I got the invitation
from Col. Robertson it did not take me very long to decide wheth
er I would accept or not. I may as well tell you that I would
probably have been here whether I had an invitation or not,
because some time ago when it was rumored around that you
intended to have a gathering similar to what you have to-day, I
said that if I was in the country at all, I would be here. I
might say that I have a sort of friendly feeling for Williams town,
when I tell you that I spent a year here a good many years ago,
and it was one of the plea san test years of my life. There is
one matter, however, that I think should be corrected, and that
is that they don't vote right. They did not give me as large a
majority as they should the last election. However, I will
forgive them for it. I am not going to give you a political speech
to-day. The contest between Col. Robertson and myself started
in a friendly spirit and ended £hat way. When we came here
from Alexandria, Mr. Massey and myself, we were rather late
and had had nothing to eat. But the Colonel hearing of our
arrival saw that we did not go hungry. So that you can see

24

there is a friendly spirit, and that is the only way in which a
contest should be carried on between two men, one of whom ex
pects to represent the county.

Another reason why I am pleased to be here today, is, as
your chairman has said, because my great grandfather and
great grandmother are buried here. That should cause me to
have a kindly feeling both for the church and the place.

I believe my great grandfather was one of the first, if not
the first settler in Glengarry. He came to this country with six
or seven others in 1 783. At the time he came here there was not a
road made or a tree cut. ' He got here by taking a boat up the
Black river. They located on the south side of Black river about
a mile south of Martintown. He left there about seventeen or
eighteen years after that, when he moved to the 9th of Charlotten-
burg, where he died in 1821, so that your church must have been
erected before he was buried there. It is something to be asso
ciated with history of that kind. I was very pleased to hear
the reminiscences told to-day, but it occurred to me that while
it must be a source of a good deal of pleasure to those that are
present to hear these things, what are we doing to perpetuate
these things, so that our descendants in the next 50, 100, 500 years
may know all about them.

It is too bad that we do not know more of the history of the
early settlers in this county than we do (hear, hear). Most of
them are gone now. The early history of this county is history
that is not obtainable any more. Only in a very few cases can
we get anything authentic at the present time. Let another 20
years pass and it will be impossible to get anything further. Now,
I must say, as people we are very negligent in that way. About
10 years ago I was on the Pacific coast and took a trip down the
American side to visit the cities there. In the city of Portland
the people were very inquisitive about the early settlers, and in
order to perpetuate the memory of those who crossed the moun
tains 50 years before, they built a building in which they kept a
lot of curiosities, such as an old spinning wheel, one of the old
pioneer waggons and many other things. After seeing this
I could not help but think, what kind of a people are we here in
Canada, a country in which perhaps the greatest material is to
be found for historial research, and if put in the hands of some
literary genius what a great work he could do in tracing up and
preserving the records of our ancestors. It is 130 years since the
first settler came to this county and very few steps have been
taken to gather up the information. Why don't we get to work
and do something of the same nature as they did in Portland.
The only thing in our history is the doings of the people who
settled in the county. There has been nothing extraordinary
happen. There have been no big battles, nothing but a few

25

big fights caused through liquor. See what a romance Ralph
Connor created over a shanty fight as a result of a drunken spree.
I may say we do not expect anything of that kind any more —
we are going to abolish the bar.

Now until 14 or 15 years ago I was not very much interested
in this; I could not tell who my great grandfather was, but I
came to the conclusion that we were very backward in our duty
in that respect. There is a great deal of interesting information
to be gathered in this county if some one would only go to work
and dig it out. If you had a history of the early settlers, of the
U. E. Loyalists, you would have a history of the county of Glen
garry. It would be interesting to know the time they came; the
number they had in their family; their names; what they have
done in the way of building churches, schools. It is very im
portant that we should do something along these lines. I would
like to get the people started. Trace up your family history.
How many of a family; who were their neighbors, etc.

I think, Mr. Chairman, if you could once get your people
to do something of this kind it would have a lasting effect. Now
I think there is no part of the county that is so well situated to do
something of this kind as Williamstown and along the front.
That is the first part of the neighborhood settled and that is the
part settled by the U. E. Loyalists. Not many lived much fur
ther north than Williamstown.

Now, I do not think that I have anything further to say.
I am pleased to be present with you to-day. I hope to be present
with you again before this celebration is over, and there are very
few that will come here and enjoy it any better than I do. If I
can only get the people started doing something along the lines
I have suggested I will then consider that what I have said
has done some good.

Rev. J. Matheson

REV. MR. Go VAN: I am sure we are all glad to hear Mr.
Munroe. He is advocating what I have been trying to do for
many years — the formation of an historical society that we
might gather together and have papers read on the history of the
people of the county. If we gathered this data now, it would
greatly assist the historians in the future. I will now call upon
the Rev. J. Matheson.

REV. MR. MATHESON: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men, I need scarcely say that Mrs. Matheson and myself are
very much pleased to be here to-day and to take part in this
grand celebration. We have heard so much from the gentlemen
who have already spoken that we are almost ovewhelmed with
the magnitude of the great work done by the early settlers in

26

this district. I would like to say, Mr. Chairman, that I had a
few notes written down in case I might be asked to say a few words,
but the comprehensive paper read by Mr. McLennan, has taken
away some of what I had to say.

With regard to the Rev. John Bethune, the first minister of
this congregation, I would say in addition to what has already
been said, that he had six sons, the names of whom were: Angus,
Norman, John, James, Alexander and Donald, all good Scotch
names. Two of them took orders in the Anglican church,
John became Dean of Montreal and was a very influential
member in the church. In 1835 he became a principal of what
was then known as McGill College, but which is best known as
the great University of McGill. Dr. McGill, who was the founder
of this great institution, offered this office to Dr. Strachan, but
Dr. Strachan refused it, and then it was given to Dean Bethune.
Then this Dean Bethune's son, Dr. Bethune, became chancellor
of the Diocese of Montreal, and he was a very prominent man too.
His sister, that is the granddaughter of the first minister here,
Rev. John Bethune, became the wife of Sir John J. Abbott, who
some years ago became Premier of the Dominion of Canada.
Perhaps this fact you did not know.

I think it has been stated already that during his term of
office in Williamstown and the surrounding congregations, from
his coming here until his death, the first minister, baptized 2,379
persons. He died in the year 1815 and served 28 years. The
next minister was the Rev. John McKenzie, who came here in
1818 and died in 1855. He ministered for 37 years. The next
minister, Rev. Peter Watson, was inducted on Sept. 4th, 1856.
At the great union of 1875 the congregation was divided on the
question of that union, the Union party retaining the church,
as you all know, and Rev. Mr. Watson remaining as minister of
the other party. From 1856 to 1875,' or 19 years, Mr. Watson
ministered to the entire congregation and to the remainder of the
other party from 1875 to 1903, 28 years, so that if you add 19 and
28 you have 47 years that the Rev. Peter Watson lived and min
istered in Williamstown. We all remember the Rev. Mr,
Watson. He was an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no
guile. (Cheers.) A man beloved by all, a man full of music.
I remember how he used to come to Martintown and when he
heard good music he would weep tears of joy. He was also a
man who loved nature. He loved the green hills, the forests,
the sunlight; everything was beautiful to him. He had beauty
in his nature. He was also very poetical. He knew a great deal
of Burns and the other poets, quoting them at length with the
greatest possible ease. I remember both young and old saying
how much they respected and esteemed the old man. I remem
ber hearing some people say that when they saw Mr. Watson

27

with his long flowing hair about his shoulders it reminded them
of one of the old prophets. We also remember his death, and
we remember his funeral. We remember that the remains were
taken out of Mr. Dickson's house, carried over to St. Andrew's
church, that the church was crowded with people young and old,
that there were nine ministers present, and that your humble
servant preached the funeral sermon.

In the year 1877 Rev. Alexander McGillivray was inducted
here and remained for ten years. You know of Mr. McGilli-
vray's work.

Rev. Mr. Govan came here on June 27, 1888, and is here yet,
and we hope that he may continue here for many years to
come. (Cheers.)

What was the relation between this congregation and the
congregation at Summers town, where I am now stationed. I
noticed in the sketch that was given some time ago in the papers,
and to which I have already referred, that nothing was said
about Summerstown. Lancaster, Martintown, Cornwall and
Williamstown were mentioned, but Summerstown was left out —
the place that should be first.

I have in my possession at home a little book that was given
to me by the late Dr. Ferguson, who lived in Martintown, which
is a report of the Church of Scotland in the year 1866, and there
is an introduction in it by Mr. Croil, who had charge of these
things. In this record Mr. Croil states that Mr. Bethune had
officiated statedly in Williamstown, Lancaster, Charlottenburg,
Martintown and Cornwall. He states this in two places, on
page 73 and page 77. Now I think what he meant by Charlotten
burg was Summerstown. It was not called Summerstown until
the Summers family came there, but it was called Charlotten
burg, so his parish ran south as well as east and west to Cornwall.

The late Mr. William McLean, of Summerstown, whom
many of you knew, died last year at the age of 93. He was born
in the year 1818, the year that the Rev. Mr. McKenzie came
here. He was well informed ; a very intelligent man, a man with
an extraordinary memory and he knew what took place long ago.
He told me several times in speaking of Mr. Bethune, that
Mr. Bethune came to the front, but that he moved to Williams-
town as he found it more central, and he made it the centre. He
sold the land at Summerstown, but granted the congregation
the acre which contains the cemetery and church now. He said
the way he would goto Summerstown would be by rowboat down
the Black river and up the St. Lawrence. Rev. Mr. Watson
continued to serve the congregation at Summerstown up till
1875. It was in the year 1878 that the present congregation at
Summerstown was started. Dr. McNish of Cornwall and A. J.

28

Grant were appointed a committee to select elders for the con
gregation at Summerstown.

Mr. Bethune was here 28 years, Mr. McKenzie 37, Mr.
Watson 19, with the whole congregation, Mr. McGillivray 10,
Rev. Mr. Govan 24 years, making a total of 118 years. Sub
tract that from 125 years, and it leaves seven years that you were
without a minister. I would like to say a word about Mr.
Govan. I have known him for a long time. I noticed in him
the element of fairness, and to be true about it, I would never
wish for a better neighbor. I am very glad to be here to-day.

Rev. J. U. Tanner

REV. MR. GOVAN: I am very glad that Mr. Matheson has
spoken about Summerstown not being mentioned as part of the
territory covered by Rev. Mr. Bethune. It is an important
historical fact to be noted.

I now wish to speak about the gathering on Monday next.
While this is more or less of a church celebration to-day, the
gathering next Monday will be for the purpose of celebrating
U. E. Loyalists Day, and we wish to make it entirely non-de
nominational. Our Catholic friends are just as welcome as those
of the Protestant faith. We know that many of the U. E. Loy
alists were Catholics and for that reason I wish them to join in
this celebration.

I am now going to introduce to you Rev. J. U. Tanner.

REV. MR. TANNER made a few remarks in opening regarding
his Swiss ancestry, and then proceeded: I am here today to
convey to you the greetings of your sister congregation, St.
Andrew's, Lancaster. I had an idea for a long time that we
were the mother congregation, but Mr. Govan won't admit it.
I understand that in 1787 the first services in this neighbourhood
were held down by the old cemetery on the banks of Lake St.
Francis, near South Lancaster, and there said Col. McGregor
was built the first church in 1790, and the Misses McLennan in
South Lancaster have in their possession the lock that was on
that church and if you want to see a fine historical lock you
should call on the Misses McLennan. The key was so big
that ever since the Misses McLennan had had it in their posses
sion no burglar had endeavoured to go into the house. Some
of the old nails that were attached to the lock at the time are
still in their place. In the cemetery at South Lancaster we
have a tombstone dated 1785, which I think is one of the oldest,
although I understand there are older in this neighbourhood.

I come to bear to you greetings of a congregation which
was associated with you in the early settlement of this country,

29

a congregation that was once united with you, and that received
ministrations from Rev. John Bethune.

I want to congratulate you on the success of your gathering ;
I have enjoyed every bit of it, and I think the suggestion of
Mr. Munro and Mr. Govan is one you should not lose sight of.
I think that as Mr. Munro is so interested in this work, if the
information, etc., were gathered in, he would not see it without
a proper shelter.

Rev. Mr. Tanner was the last speaker, and after a few
remarks by the chairman, the proceedings were brought to a
close with the National Anthem.

30

THE OLD MANSE
Now the summer residence of Mr. Farquhar Robertson, Montreal.

THE PRESENT MANSE

PART II

The Second Sunday

The Centenary Celebration was continued on Sunday
Sept. 1st, when large congregations again attended the services
at the church.

SERMON BY REV. DONALD ROSS, D.D.

At the morning service the Rev. Professor Donald Ross.
D.D., of Kingston, delivered the sermon, taking for his text
Is. 115, 12: "The Lord hath been mindful of us .... He will
bless us."

Dr. Ross said : This psalm was written while the Jews were
exiles in Babylon, dwelling among a people who worshipped
gods which had only an imaginary existence. Their distress
and humiliation were aggravated by the taunt of these heathen,
that the God in whom they trusted could not help and deliver
them, or had forgotten and forsaken them. The writer has
such confidence in the power and goodness of Jehovah that he
resents the imputation of His forgetfulne^s of them, and calls
upon his fellow exiles to trust Him. All through their history
He had shown them favour, and had been mindful of them
and wrought great deliverances on their behalf. They were
now suffering His displeasure because they had been unfaithful
to Him. They were bereft of country and home, and all the
privileges of their temple worship for a time, that under their
sense of loss they might repent of their sins which had brought
upon them national disaster and humiliation, and once more
become His willing and obedient people. He was training
them in the painful school of experience for a greater future
than even they had dreamed of. So this inspired singer jubil
antly exclaims, Jehovah has been mindful of us in all the storm
and stress, and darkness, and tempest we have passed through
and He will continue to bless us from this time forth.

"So long His power has led us, sure it still will lead us on
to freedom and prosperity, to happiness and peace," this is the
burden of his hope and song.

During the past few days you have been looking backward.
You have been in a reminiscent mood. You have called to mind
what our fathers did in this land while it was yet a wilderness,
how they hewed out for themselves a home with a courage that

33

shrank from no danger or hardship, and with a hope that the
darkest experiences could not extinguish — how they kept alive
their faith in God and His goodness, assembled themselves
together for His worship in humble dwellings and unpretentious
buildings until they erected on this spot a church whose very
stones were dear to them, and under whose shadow they were laid
to rest until the voice of the Son of God shall call them forth,
and this corruptible shall put on incorruption. Your commem
orative services have been an act of filial piety, and a sacrifice well
pleasing to God. They ought to be a stimulus to your religious
life. They were worthy whom you have had in loving remem
brance. They were of noble stock — those forefathers of ours.
There were giants among them. They were high souled. They
were patriotic — they loved freedom, and bled and suffered that
they, and those who came after them might enjoy it; and above
all they were God-fearing, and found their strength in their
religion. They were one of God's best gifts to us. Through
them we received the wondrous inheritance of life. They
taught us by their example to do justly, and love mercy, and
walk humbly before God. They helped us to prepare ourselves
for serving our generation in our various callings and professions.
They inspired us with regard for holy things. They dutifully
brought us to the house of God, and led us reverently by the hand
among the graves of the sacred dead, where the mystery of
life was borne in upon us, and the fact of mortality was so
impressively taught us. They were not perfect, — they were
men of like passions with ourselves. They laboured under
restrictions and disabilities that we know nothing of. But
Jehovah was mindful of them and blessed them, and through
them has blessed us, for they have left us a splendid heritage in
this goodly parish with its stately homes, and fruitful fields,
and well-appointed church and other institutions for the building
up of the men and wromen of this and future generations in
righteousness, and goodness of heart and life.

We may well repeat the words of the text as applicable to
ours, "The Lord hath been mindful of us." Our present state,
our condition, our opportunities, bear strong testimony to the fact
that we have been in His thoughts, that He has kept us in mind,
that His Providence has been exercised on our behalf, that the
seasons have come and gone richly laden with gifts from His
beneficent hand, telling us that He has been caring for us. We
can say that the lines have fallen to us in pleasant places, and
that altogether by His favour. It would be difficult to find a
people more highly privileged than we are in this beautiful
district with its well-ordered society, its educational and religious
institutions. We have been hearing a great deal about the west
with its fertile prairies. Its attractions have been pictured for

34

us in extravagant terms, and some have been lured from among
us by the voice of the charmer. They have followed the gleam,
but they have found that with all its possibilities the western
land lacks advantages which they have left behind — advantages
social, educational and religious. The very atmosphere there is
highly charged with the materialistic or commercial spirit — -
we are assured on reliable authority. We hear through the
columns of the press echoes of the excitement and commotion
it is producing. It dominates the activities of the people,
and endangers their better life, their true prosperity. God
knows that even here, in spite of all that is being done by the
church, and Sunday School, and other religious agencies to
counteract it, this demoralising force — the commercial spirit,
which reckons the worth of life by the standard of dollars and
cents, and blinds the soul to unseen and eternal realities, is
retarding the growth of a healthy and fruitful religious life
to no small extent. I speak with caution, but I say that this is
one of the greatest dangers of our time, and I would affectionately
warn you to be on your guard against it. For what will it profit
you, if you gain the whole world, and through your devotion
to things seen and temporal you fail to accomplish the chief end
of life — attain to a life lived with Christ in God.

That God has been mindful of us, and has bestowed on us so
many proofs of His gracious favour is assurance to us that He
will continue to bless us. He is the same yesterday, to-day
and forever. He has showered upon us His good and perfect
gifts though we have been unworthy of the least of them.
He makes His sun to shine upon the evil and the good, and sends
His rain upon the just and unjust, for there is no respect of per
sons with Him. It is His nature to give, as it is that of the
sun to radiate light and warmth, or of the flower to emit its
perfume. He is ever giving of His best and choicest. He has
not withheld even His well-beloved Son, but has freely given
Him for us all, that we might have eternal life. Thanks be unto
Him for His unspeakable gift. He will bless us richly in our
basket and in our store, when we go out and when we come in,
in all that we set our hand to, in our personal religious experience,
and in our Church fellowship, in all that pertains to the life that
now is as well as that which is to come. What a happy and
contented people we should be with such an outlook. How the
very best that is in us should respond to the Father of all, who
calls on us to serve Him with all our heart and soul and strength
and mind.

We are commencing a new chapter in the history of this
congregation. We stand at the beginning of another century
in the existence of this hallowed place of worship. It ought
to be a very solemn and inspiring occasion to us. It ought to

35

stimulate us to deeds that shall be for the uplift of the world,
and the greater glory of God. Voices from the past are appealing
to us to quit ourselves like men and women who inherit noble
traditions. They entreat us to go on to greater achievements
than already stand to our credit. For, however well we may
have acquitted ourselves in the years that are gone, we have
not reached the standard of perfection laid down for us in the
teaching of Christ and His apostles. What, then, must we
do ? What steps should we take to mark this red letter date in
our religious history as a people for whom. the Lord hath done
so great things ?

1. We should solemnly make completer, more entire, self
consecration of ourselves to God. This is the secret of power
in the religious life. We should resolve that, God helping us,
we shall serve Him with our whole heart and soul and strength,
-and try to carry out this purpose. It is well for us to pause at
this moment and examine to what extent we have done this in
the past. We shall probably find, if we consider the matter with
out prejudice, that, however sincere our intention may have
been, our devotion to God's service, and our cultivation of per
sonal religion, have not been as earnest and whole hearted as
they should have been, and might have been. The fire of holy
aspiration and self-surrender has been kindled on the altar of
our heart, but have we kept it burning brightly, day in and day
out so that our fervour in religious service has been growing
in intensity and power. The world's occupations and diversions
and pleasures have been keen and urgent competitors for a con
trolling influence over us. Have we so yielded to their insidious
power that we are hindered from giving the true measure of
devotion to sacred things — and to God ? We were baptised into
the Church of Christ. We have attended the ministrations of
the sanctuary. We have shared in its privileges. We have
experienced delight in its fellowship. But have we devoted
ourselves in entire consecration to God and endeavoured to give
the first place in our thought and effort to what He requires of
us ? This is reasonably expected of us. God's ownership in
us is a fact that we cannot dispute. He made us and not we
ourselves. We are His workmanship. He made us for Him
self, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Him. Not
only is He the author of our life, it is by His Providence our life
is sustained. It is true that we labour for our daily bread, for food
and raiment and other necessaries, but without His co-operation
— without the help He gives us through the action of the forces
and energies He has ordained as part of this world's outfit our
labour would be fruitless. We may plow and sow the fields,
but without the aid He gives us through His sunshine and rain
and a thousand other secret methods of His working in the air

36

and soil we should reap no harvest. It is God that giveth
the increase. Are we sufficiently alive to the fact that there is
an active partnership between Him and us in the tilling of our
farms ? How do we requite Him for His assistance in filling our
barns and storehouses ? He is surely entitled to at least one
half the product of the united toil, but do we give him anything
like that porportion of it ? We think, perhaps, we do well if we
offer Him a tenth or even less. Will a man rob God of what is
justly due to Him ? We should consecrate it all to Him, appro
priating as a gift from Him only what is sufficient for our own
needs. And the same is true of every occupation we choose
to engage in. What we accomplish is due to God's working
with us, and we should devote to Him His just proportion of the
results. So again all the vital processes of our bodies are main
tained in healthy operation through His active working in and
around us. For truly we live and move and have our being in
Him. All the powers of mind and heart we possess are supported
and kept in exercise by His gracious Providence. It is literally
correct to say that we are not our own, any more than the organ
the builder has constructed is its own. It is his, and he has made
it to serve him with every part of its complex structure and peal
forth music for his satisfaction and enjoyment. Every key
and lever and pipe and stop in the instrument must take part
in doing this. God has made us more wonderfully than any
organ, that the combined action of body soul and spirit, with
all their capacities might produce a harmony which would be well
pleasing unto Him. If any of them does not render its full
measure of service, or if they all fail to act up to the degree
of efficiency of which they are capable, then our life will be dis
cordant to the ear of our Maker. We ought, therefore, to
devote our personal gifts and our possessions of whatever kind
they be to Him in a whole-hearted, generous measure. In
other words, we should not in any respect live unto ourselves.
All that we call ours is not really ours, but is put into our hands
as a sacred trust, to be used not for any selfish ends, but to pro
mote the interests of the kingdom of righteousness, and the good
of our fellowmen. If what is committed to men of wealth and
power and influence — to every one in fact — were used in this way
the discontent and unrest that threaten the upheaval of society
and the overthrow of our most venerated institutions would
vanish as the morning cloud.

Further, we belong to God in a still more sacred sense —
in a higher sense. He has bought us with a price — the suffer
ings and death of His well-beloved Son. It was an act of grace
for Him to have done this. We did not merit such favour
from Him. We are His by purchase. His ownership in us is
incontestible. But we do not seem to realise this as we ought.

37

Like the Corinthians we need to have it thrust on our attention.
Paul said to them, "Ye are not your own: for ye were bought
with a price." Then he adds this admonition, "Therefore,
glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are His."
That is to -say, you ought to employ all your powers in serving
Him. Such complete devotion is not inconsistent with the earn
est prosecution of the duties of our occupation. We may be
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, while we are diligent in our
business. Complete self-consecration to God's claims upon us
does not disqualify or unfit us for the duties of home and family
and citizenship. He that faithfully serves God derives inspira
tion from so doing for efficiently discharging all reasonable and
rightful claims upon him.

2. This centennial celebration ought to inspire us to pro
mote and strengthen our Church life. A minister who is fully
alive to the grandeur and responsibility of his office as an am
bassador of Christ, and an earnest congregation are a mighty
power for good in the community, and its most precious asset.
And this is the paramount need of the world to-day. To coun
teract the forces that are making for unrighteousness, dishonesty
and impurity, the worship of pleasure, the mania for wealth
and display, living for what is transitory and unworthy of man,
with his capability for the highest and best things — what may
all be summed up in the term worldliness — to counteract this
and build men up in the love of what is true and good and pure,
in loyalty to the law of God written in their own hearts, and
to the spirit of the Gospel — this is the purpose for which a church
exists. And where there is a vigorous Church life, it is in mortal
conflict with all these foes to the true welfare of mankind. A
congregation must be pulsating with a reverent religious enthu
siasm, be vigorous and active if it is to do this. It is an organ
ism, a body, consisting of many members, which may be healthy,
strong, full of energy: or weak, sickly, emaciated, in slow or
rapid decline. What its condition is depends on the individuals
composing it. To keep our body in a sound healthy state,
fit for service, all the members and organs must have exercise.
The disuse of any of them gradually weakens the capacity for
action, and after a time they become powerless. We are all
familiar with that fact.

During the past century this congregation has responded
to the call to help in the evangelisation of the world. The mission
work of the Church has received your willing support. You
have assisted the efforts made to minister to the religious needs
not only of those who have come from all quarters to find a
home in the vast unoccupied spaces of this land of promise, but
also of the teeming millions of India and China. But the
missionary problem has presented itself to the mind of the Church

38

of late years with an emphasis never before felt, and it regards the
vigorous prosecution of the work of evangelising the heathen
world, as of most vital importance, not merely for the spiritual
enlightenment and uplift of the benighted peoples, but also for
the quickening of the religious life of all our Churches. The
Laymen's Missionary Movement is an evidence that the heart
of the Church has been stirred to an extraordinary degree by the
conviction that the floodtime of its opportunity to carry out
effectively the Divine command to preach the Gospel to every
creature has come. But in order to make a success of this
movement, there must be a widespread and earnest co-operation
and a considerable increase in the contributions of each individual
member and adherent of all our congregations. It would be a
most befitting thing for you to signalise your centennial cele
bration by resolving to support a missionary in the home or
foreign field, as an expression of gratitude to God for having
blessed you as He has done through so many years. These
commemorative services will be a failure if they do not lead to
some such tangible result, if they do not kindle in you a passion
to do more than you have ever done for the upbuilding of the
Church of God in the desolate places of the earth, such a passion
for the conquest of the world for Christ, that you cannot but
throw yourselves into the conflict, and make some sacrifice to
hasten its accomplishment, when He shall be crowned Lord of all.
When the three disciples were on the mount of Transfiguration
and saw His glory revealed, they were so enraptured by the vision
that they wanted to abide there and enjoy the ecstasy of the
occasion. But they had to go down into the world of sin and
sorrow and take part in its activities, and give their strength
and suffer and die in the effort to transform it into a kingdom of
righteousness and peace and joy. During the past week you
have been standing on the mount of retrospect, and contemplat
ing with gladness of heart the great things God has wrought for
and by you through a hundred years; now you must tear your
selves from the entrancing vision and go down into the bustle
and turmoil and stress of your various occupations, and spend
and be spent in cultivating your religious life, and helping the
Church to carry out its missionary enterprise — its purpose to
win the world for Christ — to usher in the dawn of the millennial
day, when all peoples and nations and tongues shall join in singing
the everlasting song, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and domin
ion, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and
to the Lamb forever and ever."

May the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls keep and guide
pastor and people of this congregation from day to day that you
may fulfil His good pleasure in all things, and through the minis
trations of His Spirit grow in grace until the day break and the

39

shadows flee away, when He shall throw His completeness round
your incompleteness, round your restlessness His rest.

And may the peace of God which passeth all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ, and abide
with you and your families now and forever. Amen.

Dr. J. A. Macdonald

At the conclusion of Dr. Ross' sermon, Dr. J. A. Macdonald,
Editor of the Globe, Toronto, spoke briefly. It was hardly fitting,
he said, that he, who did not belong to Glengarry, and who had
not a drop of Glengarry blood in him, should in anyway interfere
in such a service as that of the morning. But he remembered the
services in East Williams, when he was a lad, when there was
Gaelic service first at 10 or 10.30 in the morning and English
service at 1 o'clock, lasting until 4 in the afternoon, without any
interruption for meals. Having come from that stock he could
well understand that the Highlanders of Glengarry could put
up with him for a short time longer. He felt it an honor to take
part in these Centennial services. His own ancestors, four
generations back, were comrades in arms of Rev. John Bethune,
founder of this church, who was Chaplain of the Royal Highland
Regiment in South Carolina; they served in the same battles,
were taken prisoners at the same time, were marched to Phila
delphia and New York and subsequently to Pictou in Nova Scotia,
where the descendants of the Macdonalds and MacMillans still
live.

"Forty thousand Highlanders from Argyle, from Inverness,
from Ross-shire went in by the Cape Fear river, and they are still
numerous in those districts, and their blood is just as true as it
is here in Glengarry or as it is in my native township of East
Williams in Middlesex or in Pictou, N.S. The very same names
as in the regiment of which Rev. John Bethune was chaplain at
Cape Fear River 3,000 Highlanders, Clan McDonald, Clan
McLeod, Clan McRae, Clan McKenzie, Clan McKay, and other
clans marched into the Revolutionary War, nearly every man
speaking only Gaelic, and they were just as good Highlanders who
were on the patriot side, as your ancestors and mine who were on
the Loyalist side — for the Highlanders were divided in Carolina,
and they fought Highlander against Highlander, just as they did
in the home land, and the descendants of the Whigs in North
Carolina are as true to their Highland stock and they have kept
their Highland feeling just as truly as the Highlanders who came
to Pictou or Glengarry kept theirs, and you will find them in a
church in Carolina, older than this, but not unlike it. I found
there that the Gaelic accent was gone, not a trace of it; but the
feeling was still strong, In that district were the McNeils,
McDonalds, the McGregors, the McLeods, the McLeashs and

40

the Grants from the Speyside. The great lesson to my mind "was
to find a Highland community just as vigorously Highland as
anything I ever knew in my life as a Canadian, so that we must
not suppose that we are here the descendants of all the Highland
stock that left the Highlands of Scotland, because there was no
future left for them; because they were driven out by the land
lords of their land, because they had to find places for themselves
and for their children.

"In the same towns you will find the church, and with true
devotion to education, the college is built for young men by the
Highlanders. On the staff of one of the colleges is Wood row
Wilson, whose blood is Ulster, and in the ladies' colleges in the
south 75 or 80 per cent of the students are Macs, and those who
are not Macs, carry names just as Scotch. All this comes to me
from the reminiscent atmosphere in which we have been living.
It all tends to impress upon us Canadians that we must be true
to that which we have inherited. No people in all this world
have inherited more, but we must see to it that we make our
dreams come true. We in Canada have inherited more than all
the rest who have gone out from Scotland. We have freedom and
chances that if our ancestors in North Carolina and in the
Mohawk Valley had there would have been no revolution. Let
us be worthy of this heritage. Let us be worthy of the names
we bear."

A Gaelic Service

V

In the afternoon a service was conducted in Gaelic, and in
the large congregation were many who still delight to use the
language they learned at their mother's knee. Quite a number
came long distances to have the privilege of taking part in this
service. Amongst these were Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, of
Russell, who made the trip, about forty miles, by buggy.

The service was conducted by two young clergymen, Rev.
A. D. Mackenzie, of Moose Creek, Ont., and Rev. J. B. MacLeod,
of Martintown, Ont. Only the older generation in Glengarry
retain a perfect knowledge of Gaelic, and it was a surprise to the
congregation to see two young men so thoroughly conversant
with the language in which, in the early days of the church whose
centenary they were celebrating, the services were regularly
conducted. The explanation was found in the fact that both
came from Prince Edward Island, where Gaelic is still used per
haps more extensively than in Scotland. All the old Gaelic
Bibles and Psalm Books that were available were gathered for
the occasion, and a large percentage of those present were able to
join in the service intelligently and they did so with great hearti
ness and evident appreciation.

41

At all the services of the centenary celebration the old-time
custom was followed of singing the psalms and hymns without
musical accompaniment, the tunes being started by a Precentor.
At the Gaelic service the Clergymen acted as Precentors, and
it was surprising how many were able to follow them, both in
words and music.

The Gaelic sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Mac
kenzie. The following is a summary in English:

Romans — 15: 13 — "Chum gw'mbisibh pailtauaudochas."

Hope has a prominent place in the Christian religion.
The Old Testament makes much of it. It points to the better
days ahead. Christianity as we find in the New Testament
began with the day of small things; but its future was big
with promises. Christianity has not outgrown the need of hope
and as Paul knew that it was good for the Roman Christians
to have an abounding hope, he sent them this message which
is a message timeless in its application.

Hope has been defined as a device for a future good, accom
panied by faith in its realization. Apart from religion hope
has a large place in life. It is hope that makes for success in
professional and mercantile life, enabling him who cherishes it
to endure the trials of the day of small things. It is hope that
keeps the pioneer, the patriot and the philanthropist at his self-
imposed task. He desires what the future holds. He presses
on to that which he desires, because he believes that good will
yet be realized. It was hope that kept the soul of Lord Selkirk
firm when he saw through opposition and misunderstanding
a larger, freer, richer life for the oppressed Highlanders of
Scotland in their new houses in Prince Edward Island and the
Red River Colony.

It was hope that made the Loyalist pioneers of Williamstown
equal to the task of breaking the ties that bound them to their
old homes in the South and facing the unbroken forest of Glen
garry to hew out again fields and homes. They saw in vision
the obstacles removed — in short they hoped and therefore shrank
not from the toils. Arms and hearts were made steadfast
through hope.

It was hope that led them to address themselves to the task
of laying the foundation of this house of prayer — hope that within
its walls God would reveal himself and that through its agency
souls might be reclaimed from sin, liberated from its thraldom
and cleansed from its stain.

It is this hope we need to cherish if we are to endure and
conquer. It is Christian hope that comes to the rescue when
sin in our individual lives seems too strong — the hope that vic
tory is sure — that we shall yet rise to fall no more.

42

This hope should also be cherished with regard to others
than ourselves. Jesus has said as the Father sent me so send
I you. He has promised a kingdom. That kingdom has come
but its coming in power is ahead. This is part of our hope.
The true function of this congregation is to be filled with this
hope and to exercise itself as a part of God's army to work
for the better day. Its function is to lay hold on the resources
that are in God, and then by word, by example, by sacrifice,
by prayer, to work towards the end that hope sees.

How can this people make head against the dark days,
the disappointment, the apparent defeat of God's cause ? Abound
in hope. But let the hope be rightly grounded or it is vain.
Hope in God for He is the God of hope. Hope in Jesus Christ.

Apart from him this church, and this people will miss the
great end for which they are organized — the making of some
contribution to break the reign of sin and hasten God's better
day; but through Him they are more than conquerors.

The Evening Service

At the evening service Dr. J. A. Macdonald again spoke.
During the day he said, he had thought how great a thing it
was for a church to have a history like St. Andrew's, Williams-
town, going back in one building for one hundred years. There
is not much history in a new land like ours, and that means that
we have no back-ground of our own. He would talk, he said
for a short time about the back-ground of life, the unseen back
ground. If we read about the great men of the world, we must
realize that it was the invisible forces behind them that made
them great. Here the people have the back-ground of family
life running back two or three generations here and for genera
tions in the old land. If one had a great name he must live up
to, he was the more likely to pursue his way unflinchingly,
unfalteringly to the end. If one ever makes good, it is due to
his home life, his church, his back-ground of early recollections,
experiences, things he knows that no one else knows, the sacred
back-ground of his early life. The heroes of the Indian Mutiny,
those who saved the honor of the race, were the Highlanders,
who had behind them their glorious traditions, the voice of their
mountains and glens calling to them, that no matter who might
waver or flee, they must stand fast, and they did. And so it
was in professional, business or political life — the men who were
successful had a back-ground — not only their own personal
power, but the power of all who went before them. It is a good
thing for Canadian life that out of communities such as these,
men have gone following the gleam where the strange roads go
down, but always working back to the home land and standing

43

fast, because they cannot betray their past. But there was not
only the memory of the past — there was the ideal that every
man must cherish — the thing that he sets himself to do. No
man is worth while who does not live for a haunting, inspiring
ideal — to do some one thing well in the world, to live a life
and to live it worthily.

United Empire Loyalist Day

Monday, the closing day of the centenary celebration,
was devoted to a memorial to the United Empire Loyalists who
settled in the Old Eastern District, and more particularly to those
who formed the first congregation of St. Andrew's Church.
The proceedings opened with the decoration of the graves of
those who are buried in the cemetery connected with the church.
It was a very impressive ceremony. The graves were decorated
with beautiful flowers. A large concourse of members of the
congregation and friends from a distance marched to the cemetery
where they gathered in front of the grave of the first pastor,
Rev. John Bethune.

Rev. Mr. Govan, who presided, said: In connection with the
centenary services we thought it appropriate that to-day,
before the U. E. Loyalist addresses were made, we should come
to the cemetery and place flowers on the graves of those who
did so much for the country to which they belonged and for the
church of our fathers. In this community we are very happy
to have with us one who is distinguished, I am sure, throughout
the Empire, who was brought up in our quiet little country
village, and who will now address you.

Mr. Donald Macmaster, K.C., D.C.L., member of the
British Parliament for the Chertsey Division of Surrey, England,
who was born and spent his early days in Williams town, members
of his family being buried in the cemetery, then delivered a
brief address. He said :

Mr. Govan, ladies and gentlemen: Of course you will
not expect an address from me. I did not anticipate a gathering
in these sacred precincts, although I am very glad indeed to
see so many here, very closely connected with this cemetery,
with which nearly all of us have close sacred ties. It is a great
gratification to me to come back to the old friends, my old
friends and neighbors, who have a sacred regard for what is
truly dear to them, as evidenced by the fact that they have
put this graveyard in so thorough a state of repair and almost
decoration, although I would hardly be justified in using such a
term, for reasons you will all appreciate. It is particularly ap
propriate that in meeting here we should be close to the spot
where the remains are deposited of the first clergyman of this

44

congregation, the Rev. John Bethune. For many this will also
be their last resting place on earth. You know that the great
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, when he came near his end, was
asked where he would like to be buried. Of course there were restric
tions on the question of his burial, as there were also upon the
place in which he might live. He was then on the island of
St. Helena. His request was: "On the banks of the Seine,
amidst the hearts of the people I love so well." Well, his wish
was not carried out at that time, but later his remains were
deposited in the Vault of the Invalides, Paris. Now, there
is one important consideration for every one of us, that no
matter how much we have differed in public life or in private
life, when we arrive here at the last stage, we are in the Temple
of Conciliation. We are standing on sacred ground where the
remains of many of the United Empire Loyalists have been de
posited. I will not refer to the unique struggle through which
that devoted people went in connection with the American
Revolution and their subsequent settlement in different parts
of the Dominion. They had to depart from old associations,
from old friends, not, happily, from their old allegiance, to which
they adhered most devoutly. It was hard that they should
have had to sacrifice their property and comfortable homes,
but so far as sentimental considerations were concerned there was
one loss they felt more than any other, and that was that they
were separated from the graves of their people. Happily in
this country we are not likely to be visited with such a terrible
depression. Now, my friends, I have spoken in a very dis
connected manner, but the words I have said have come from
my heart. I hope that God will bless and prosper you.

At the close of Mr. Macmaster's address, Rev. Mr. Govan
placed a beautiful floral wreath upon the grave of the Rev.
John Bethune. After placing the wreath Mr. Govan said:
On behalf of the members of St. Andrew's congregation and on
behalf of the session of the congregation, this wreath is being
placed in loving tribute to the memory of Rev. John Bethune.
And in placing it in memory of Rev. John Bethune, other flowers
have been placed on the graves of his successors, Mr. McKenzie
and Mr. Watson; also on the graves of many others associated
with them as loyalists in those days. Around us here lie the
Dingwalls, McDonalds, Grants, Fergusons, Chisholms, Camer-
ons, McLennans, McKenzies, and many others whom we have
not time to mention; all loyalists, their descendants buried in
these grounds. Associated with them in the early days were
many who came from Scotland to this vicinity and joined the
old congregation.

45

I am sure we are all glad to have heard one who has been
so long associated with us, and while I noted his emotion I was
reminded of a piece of poetry which runs as follows:

Words are weak and most to seek

When wanted fifty-fold,
And when, if silence will not speak
And trembling lip and changing cheek,

There's nothing told.

After the benediction, the 59th Regt. Highland Pipe Band
played, "The Land o' the Leal."

The visiting speakers and a number of friends were enter
tained to luncheon by Mr. and Mrs. Farquhar Robertson,
of Montreal, at their summer home, the White House, which
was the original Manse, built by the Rev. John Bethune soon
after he became pastor of the congregation in 1787. The visitors
were greatly interested in the quaint old building, which must
have been regarded as of very spacious dimensions in the early
days when it was occupied by the reverend pioneer. While
it has been kept in a perfect state of repair and is to-day as
comfortable and convenient in some respects as a modern
residence, great care has been taken not to detract in the slightest
degree from the antique interest of the original structure.

Speeches at the Manor House

The afternoon programme was carried out at the Manor
House, the residence of Col. D. M. Roberston, M.V.O., another
quaint old structure erected a hundred years ago. The people
assembled on the beautiful lawn and the speeches were delivered
from the verandah at the side of the house. There was a very
large gathering.

Col. Robertson was chairman, and he called upon Rev. Mr.
Go van to open the proceedings.

REV. MR. Go VAN said: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle
men, I will not detain you long, as my fellow clergymen and my
self had our innings last week. I merely wish to repeat to you
the announcement I made to you last week and which many
of you heard. We were speaking of the splendid support
that the early Elders gave towards the church and towards
every good cause in this community. Among those living
in our own day is a descendant of theirs, Mr. David Grant, of the
South Branch, who has just arranged a donation of $1,000 as
an endowment for the congregation. The money is to be in
vested and the interest paid to the congregation. It occurred
to me that if any of you wish to do anything in this direction,

46

one of the things that might be done would be to put in a me
morial window to the memory of the United Empire Loyalists.
However, this is merely a suggestion.

The first part of the house in front of which we are gathered
to-day, I understand was built by Sir John Johnson. We have
a letter of regret from his grandson, the present Baronet, re
gretting his inability to be present with us. His letter reads as
follows :

I am very sorry that I am not able to accept your kind
invitation to be present at your church celebration on account
of a previous engagement.

Yours truly,

GORDON JOHNSON.
Chambly Canton, P.Q., Aug. 27, 1912.

I have a number of other letters of regret which I will not take
time to read, except one, which expresses the sentiment, not only
of the writer, but I think a great many other people who have
been brought into touch with this church and have gone else
where. The lines are as follows:

A LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF ST. ANDREW'S
CHURCH, WILLIAMSTOWN

I worshipped there with parents dear,
And later on with Bairnies mine,

Though now our homes lie far apart
Our hearts unite to mark this time.

One hundred years, a century

Of faithful service done in thee,
And I'll remember thee, Glencairn,

For all that thou hast done for me.

HELEN BURTON, Maxville, Glengarry.

It expresses not only the feelings of that one, but many who
have been with us and have gone to other parts of the world.
Those present appreciate the interest taken in the church by
those who have gone away.

Now, in conclusion, let me say on behalf of the congregation
that we are delighted with the way in which you have responded
to our call to join in this celebration in memory of those who
were worthy of our esteem and our veneration. I thank you
for your assistance by your presence in celebrating this centenary.

47

Col. Robertson, M.V.O.

Col. Robertson followed with a short address. He said:

Ladies and gentlemen, I desire to express my greatest
satisfaction at seeing so many of you here today. My one regret
is that Mrs. Robertson is at the seashore. (Laughter.) Other
wise you would have been more comfortably provided for.
She has taken most of the things out of the house, but she has
left the cellar and given the key to Mr. Govan. It is a long time
since so many people assembled on these grounds. I wish to
say on my own behalf, and on behalf of my good wife, that we
would always be glad to see you here, and also in 100 years hence
if you are all here.

We are here today to pay respect to the men and women who
were settlers and pioneers in this country. Now I mention
the women because we have had the clergymen speaking to us
for three days and they have never mentioned their name.
Now, no man has much courage unless he has a companion
(hear, hear), and I venture to say that U.E. Loyalists, brave
and all as they were, would not have entered into this country
and left the glorious heritage they left were it not for the women
who came with them.

On the list of speakers to address you are some gentlemen
from a great distance. There is our old friend Mr. McMaster,
an old Williamstown boy, who has received all the honours that
Canada could give him and now has a seat in the British House
of Parliament. We in Glengarry are proud of him, the people
of Canada are proud of him ; he has reason to be proud of himself.

I am not going to tell you anything more, except to call
your attention to the only archive we have from the U.E. Loy
alists, in this cow bell. That bell, I understand, belonged to the
Macdonalds. The cow was stolen by the Macdonalds and the
Fergusons captured the bell.

I have now much pleasure in calling upon Mr. Macmaster,
K.C., member of the British Parliament.

Donald Macmaster, K.C., M.P.

Mr. Macmaster opened with an expression of his pleasure
at being afforded an opportunity to assist in doing honor to the
memory of the United Empire* Loyalists. He said : Mr. Doughty
the Dominion Archivist, has told us in words of truth that one
of the most heroic and pathetic pictures in modern history is that
of the United Empire Loyalists who, as British subjects in the
American Colonies, fought and suffered for the unity of the
Empire in the American Revolution. When defeated, they
chose rather to sacrifice lands, position, wealth and comfort
and seek over again new homes in the northern forests than give

48

up their allegiance to their King and Constitution. In that
view I entirely agree with him. It is quite obvious that in the
few minutes that I will be permitted to detain you, I cannot
exhaust this great subject, and besides, there are three speakers
to follow me, all well qualified to discuss it. Fortunately,
we are all in agreement; we have the same tale to tell, though
the details may be somewhat different. * * * * Now,
tempting though it is, I cannot undertake to discuss in detail
the settlement of the United Empire Loyalists in this Province.
That function will fall appropriately to my distinguished friend,
Mr. John Greenfield Macdonell, K.C., than whom no one is
better qualified to speak. Indeed, by his books, he and the late
John McLennan, M.P., by his Essay, Mr. Justice Pringle, of
Cornwall, in the History of the Old Eastern District, and James
Croil, in his "Dundas," have rendered invaluable services in
that connection. It is sufficient to say that the whole front
of the townships of Glengarry and Cornwall, as well as along
the River Aux Raisin were settled by United Empire Loyalists
about 1783 and 1784. Most of these had fought in the American
Revolution on the side of the King and were members of the
New York Royal Regiment and the Eighty-Fourth or Highland
Immigrants, many of whom came from as far south as the Caro-
linas. We must not judge of the importance of the Royalist
Movement and settlement by the numbers that came to this
district, though these were very large and comprised some of the
best people in the Mohawk Valley in t|ie State of New York,
even as far south as North Carolina. The Reverend John
Bethune was the Chaplain of the Eighty-Fourth Regiment.
The Robinsons, of Toronto, who have added so much to the
public life of Canada, belonged to a distinguished Virginian family
and so I might enlarge the list. But I can only refer to the larger
aspects of the question, and in considering these it is important
for you to remember that the Loyalist movement had a wide
sweep. Just before the Revolution in the thirteen colonies,
there were really three parties, one a small and fierce vindictive
minority, who were determined at any cost to separate from
Britain; another minority who were as keenly determined to
remain in the Empire; and thirdly, the large majority of the
people, who, though loyal, were indifferent, yet had no real,
positive desire for separation, but were carried so far in extreme
measures by the fierce, vindictive minority that it was impossible
for them to recede. The Loyalist minority referred to, and a
large portion of the majority, made up the rank and file of those
who became known in history as the United Empire Loyalists.
That was the situation, says Mr. Doughty.

You must remember, too, that the resolution of the American
Congress to secede was only carried by a majority of one, and that

49

throughout the whole American Revolutionary War the City
of New York was in the possession of the British, and many
of the Loyalists flocked there, formed themselves into regiments
and fought throughout the whole seven years of the war, only
emigrating after its termination. What they suffered before
the war began and immediately after, not only on the field
of battle, where they freely sacrificed their lives, I will leave
to the description of an American writer, Mr. Vantyne, who
says:

"They had been obliged to accept at par the depreciated
money, and had stood in terror of the law of the maximum.
Finally, a test act had demanded of them an oath which they
could not take, and refusal had brought upon them fines, dis
abilities, special taxation and even whipping and imprisonment.
Where the partizan struggle was hottest, the persecutors had
already resorted to proscription, outlawry, and confiscation.
Never, since the days of Nimrod, was there such a land of op
pression and tyranny as America."

How can we sufficiently do justice to these men, women,
and children who left their comfortable homes, their possessions,
the graves of their dead and everything else that was near and
dear to them in order to maintain their allegiance and their
political faith ? How shall we set bounds to our admiration
for their pluck and patriotism, for their willingness to suffer
and sacrifice for the cause they loved ? Mr. Kirby, the Canadian
poet, in golden lines, described the transit of the Loyalists
from the old home to the new :

Not drooping like poor fugitives they came,

In exodus to our Canadian wild,

But full of heart and hope, with heads erect

And piercing eyes, victorious in defeat.

With thousand toils they forced their devious way

Through the great wilderness of the silent woods,

Which gloomed o'er lakes and streams, until higher rose

The Northern Star above the broad domain

Of half a continent that is theirs to hold,

Defend, and keep forever as their own:

Their own, and England's to the end of time.

Such were the United Empire Loyalists, and we are the
men and women that have come into the inheritance which
they have bequeathed to us. Let us see that we are worthy
of those that have gone before.

Mr. Macmaster then referred to the men of the Glengarry
Fencibles, who came to this district from Scotland a little later,
with their Chaplain, the Rev. Alexander Macdonell, who
founded that noble structure, the Roman Catholic Church at

50

St. Raphaels. It was a remarkable coincidence that the founding
of St. Andrew's Church, in Wflliamstown, by the Rev. John
Bethune, the Presbyterian Chaplain of the 84th Regt., so closely
synchronized with the founding of the Roman Catholic Church
by the Rev. Alexander Macdonell, the priest who subsequently
and most deservingly became the Roman Catholic Bishop of
Kingston. Long may their flocks live together in Christian
and patriotic co-operation, said Mr. Macmaster. It is ours
to protect and safeguard this great inheritance in this northern
land. And why do we render special honor to these men and
women at this time? It is not from enmity to those who per
secuted them nor from hostility to the people of the Great
Nation to the South, with whom we wish forever to live on terms
of peace, amity and justice — if we may. It is rather because
we are not only justified, but are proud to do honor to the men
and women who through countless toils and infinite sufferings
have secured for us this great land and our free institutions
to which we are all so devotedly attached. And is it nothing
to be the sons and daughters of this great Northern land under
this glorious title ? Let me direct you to the noble answer of
Bliss Carman, another Canadian poet worthy to be ranked with
Kirby, and for that matter with the best. He puts the state
ment in answer to a question :

Is it Northward, little friend;
And she whispered, "What is there ?"
There are people who are loyal to the glory of their past,
Who held by heart's tradition, and will hold it to the last;
Who would not sell in shame
The honor of their name,

Though the world were in the balance and a sword thereon were
cast.

Such words are an inspiration to the inhabitants of this
great North Land, which, as Kirby said, "is ours to hold, defend
and keep forever as our own," and as part of a great, free and
United Empire. And can we not, as its sons and daughters,
looking to this ancestry and to the obligations of the future,
also say, as the poet said and prayed:

Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,

How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee ?

Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;

God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

51

John A. Macdonell, K.G.

Mr. John A. Macdonell, K.C. (Grenfield), of Alexandria,
was the next speaker. He said:

Ladies and gentlemen: It is somewhat of a coincidence,
though it is indeed a most happy one, that we should meet
on the "U.E. Loyalist" day on this particular spot. It is em
inently appropriate that we should do so for this is truly historic
ground. I greatly doubt if there is in the Province of Ontario
a place more replete with associations of the past or more inti
mately connected with U.E. Loyalist .times than Williamstown,
and especially this very lot upon which we now stand. In
1784, upon the conclusion of the Revolutionary war, when the
Loyalist Regiments, which had served and fought for the main
tenance of British Institutions upon this continent, were dis
banded, lands were allotted to the officers and men of those regi
ments along the banks of the river St. Lawrence, the Bay of
Quinte and Lakes Ontario and Erie, extending in this township
as far back as both banks of the River Aux Raisin. The soldiers
of the First Battalion of the Kings Royal Regiment of New
York stationed at the close of the war at Isle Aux Noix and Car-
leton Island with their wives and children to the number of
1,462 souls settled in a body in the townships immediately west
of the boundary line of the present province of Quebec, the
Point au Beaudette, then the highest settled part of Canada,
in what now constitutes the townships of Lancaster, Charlotten-
burg, Cornwall, Osnabruck, and Williamsburg; those of the
Second Battalion of that Regiment going further west to the
Bay of Quinte. The Highland soldiers of the First Battalion
with some of those of the 84th, or Royal Highland Emigrant
Regiment, were alloted their lands in the townships of Lancaster,
Charlottenburgh and Cornwall. The Colonel Commandant of
the two battalions of the K.R.R. N.Y., than which no regiment
had seen more service or taken a more active and honourable
part in the eight long years of that war, was Sir John Johnson,
Knight and Baronet, and a glance at the map which I have with
me, prepared in 1786 to show the location of these Loyalists
with their names and the lots which were granted to them by the
Crown, shows what we know to be the fact, that this very lot,
now belonging to Col. Robertson, was amongst those allotted
Sir John Johnson, and I understand it to be a fact also, that Sir
John Johnson built at least a portion of the house in which our
friend, Col. Robertson, now resides. It was he, too, who gave
this village its name, calling it " Williams-town" after his father,
Sir William Johnson, the first Baronet, the former Superintendent
General of Indian Affairs of the then province of New York
(what is now Cornwall being then called Johnstown after Sir

52

John himself). It was Sir John Johnson who built the first
mill at this place, which was probably the first mill in this part
of the country, if not, indeed, in what is now the province of
Ontario; though it is possible of course, that during the previous
French Regime there may have been a mill or something which
answered the purpose of one at Cataraqui, where Kingston
now stands, and where the French had a fort and fur trading
post. As showing the warm and continued interest which he
took in this locality and its first settlers, with w^hom he and his
father had been so long and intimately associated in the Mohawk
Valley before the war, and afterwards throughout the war,
I may mention that subsequently, on the 25th of June, 1814,
he presented to the Honourable Neil McLean, grandfather
of our well known and highly esteemed friend, Mr George
H. Macgillivray, who was then Sheriff of the Eastern District,
and his successors in office, twelve acres of land in Williamstown
for the purpose of a fair ground for the people of the district,
the site of your present Agricultural Society Grounds and
Public School.

Among all the U.K. Loyalists Sir John Johnson was un
questionably the most prominent and conspicuous both by
reason of his rank, his former wealth, his services, and his sacri
fices for the cause. He was the largest landed proprietor in the
thirteen revolting colonies. When the war broke out he had
to choose between the dictates of his conscience and his loyalty
to his Sovereign on the one hand, and his immense possessions
on the other. He did not hesitate, he chose the path of duty
and honour, and, as stated by the American historian, Stone,
"he voluntarily gave up domains in what is now the United
States larger and fairer than had ever belonged to a single
proprietor in America, William Penn only, excepted." Up
wards of two hundred thousand acres of the most fertile land in
the Mohawk Valley in the immediate vicinity of Albany, the
capital of the State of New York, was the sacrifice which he made
for a United Empire. He never resided permanently in Glen
garry, the nature of his occupation and the high offices he filled
not permitting of it. He was appointed Superintendent-
General and Inspector General of the Six Nation Indians, his
commission as such being dated March 14th, 1782. He was
Colonel-in-Chief of the Six Battalions of Militia of the eastern
townships and a member of the Legislative Council of Lower
Canada, to which he was summoned 24th January, 1797. He
had been knighted by the King, in his father's life time, at St.
James, on 22nd November, 1765, when but 23 years of age.
He owned the Seignory of Argenteuil and was for many years the
most conspicuous figure in Canada. He was born on the 5th
of November, 1742, and died at his residence, St. Mary's, in

53

the County of Rouville, on January 4th, 1830, in the 89th year
of his age, and was buried in the family vault at his seat on the
south side of the St. Lawrence, near Montreal. He is described
in Jones ' 'History of New York" as "a man bold, resolute,
brave and active," and his career undoubtedly proved it.

Among the first settlers of the County, the name of no man
has come down to us who in his day was held in greater or more
deserved esteem that the Reverend John Bethune. As all
relating to Mr. Bethune who was the first and for many years
the only minister of the Kirk of Scotland, not only in Glengarry,
but in Upper Canada, must necessarily be of interest, I may
mention that that gentleman was born in the Isle of Skye in
1751. The family trace their lineage very far back in Scotch
and French historical records. The first of the name who left
Normandy for the British Isles came to Scotland in the reign
of Malcolm III, a contemporary of William the Conqueror,
in the eleventh century. Many men famous in Scottish history
belonged to this distinguished family, among whom may be
mentioned Cardinal Beaton (the name is frequently both spelled
and pronounced in this way), and Archbishop Bethune, of
Glasgow. The Reverend Robert Campbell, in his book, which
contains so much that is of interest connected with the early
settlers of the County, "History of the Scotch Presbyterian
Church, St. Gabriel Street, Montreal," mentions that Mr.
Bethune had been Chaplain of the Royal Militia in North
Carolina, was taken prisoner and confined in gaol by the Revolu
tionists. He obtained his release from the hands of the rebels
shortly after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War owing to an
exchange of prisoners which took place, and made his way to the
steadfast province of Nova Scotia, residing for the time at Hali
fax, taking almost immediately thereafter an active part in organ
izing the 84th, or Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment, and in
which he was appointed Chaplain to the First Battalion. When
that Regiment was disbanded, the United Empire Loyalists
and others of the Presbyterian faith in Montreal, naturally
rallied round Mr. Bethune when he proposed to organize a
Presbyterian congregation there. Nor was the assistance which
he received confined to those of his faith alone, Mr. Campbell
stating 'that many Highland Catholics, and some who belonged
to the Episcopal Church, as well, with characteristic high feeling
and national pride, open-handed as they were, brave and patient
in enduring hardships suffered for conscience sake, generously
responded to the appeal of their fellow-countrymen, and sub
scribed according to their means to the building fund of St.
Gabriel's Church, of which Mr. Bethune was the founder, and
in which he preached to his small but interesting congregation
until May 6th, 1787.

54

Mr. Bethune had, however, received the grant of land
apportioned to his rank in the army, and it being located in
Glengarry, and having a growing family to provide for, each
of whom, on arriving at age, would also be entitled to an allot
ment of two hundred acres, he removed to Williamstown, then
the leading settlement in Glengarry; but though he went to reside
upon his property he did not neglect his ministerial character,
but resumed professional work in the new sphere to which
Providence had led him. I am not, as you know, of your
religion. I am a Catholic, as my people have ever been and it
would be unbecoming in me to discuss matters relating to your
religion or its Ministers, but I may with no impropriety say
that Mr. Bethune was a faithful and zealous missionary, and to
this day the fruits of his vigor and efficiency remain, indeed the
epitaph of Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's Cathedral, of which
he was the architect, might in Williamstown, well be applied
to Mr. Bethune, "Si Monumentum requiris, circumspice"
(If you seek his monument you have but to look around you).
In addition to the Williamstown congregation, I understand
that Mr. Bethune organized those at Martintowrn, Cornwall,
and Lancaster. Mr. Campbell is my authority for the statement
that he baptized altogether 2,376 persons during his ministry
in Glengarry. His wife was a lady of Swiss birth, Veronica
Wadden, and together they struggled bravely against poverty
and those manifold privations which were the common lot of
the Loyalists, whose principle it was "for conscience sake to
leave all aside, and still keep true, whate'er betide." But,
though having but little more to live upon than his half-pay
as a retired Chaplain in the army, Mrs. Bethune and he brought
up their large family of six sons and three daughters, instilled
into their minds high principles and imparted to them that cul
ture which emanating from so many Scottish Manses has led
on clergymen's sons to distinction and honour. His patriotism,
of which he had given such striking proof in the days of his early
manhood, grew with his advancing years and helped to deepen
in the whole district that deep and abiding loyalty, which, thank
God, has ever characterized the early settlers of Glengarry and
their descendants. His name is found second on the list on the
loyal address presented to Sir Gordon Drummond, President of
the Province of Upper Canada, on the 21st December, 1814,
at the conclusion of the second American War, the Reverend
Alexander (afterwards Bishop) Macdonell's name being first.

The Reverend Mr. Bethune died on the 23rd September,
1815, deeply regretted by the entire community among whom
he had lived and laboured so long, the Montreal "Gazette"
remarking at the time of his death, in a highly eulogistic obituary
notice, that he was a man remarkable for the mildness and agree-

55

ableness of his manners, but at no time deficient in that spirit
which is requisite for the support of a Christian and a gentleman,
understanding what was due to the powers that be without
losing sight of that respect which was due to himself, while
the position held by his family in social life proved that as a
husband and a father he must be numbered amongst those
who had done their duty well.

A monument with an inscription commemorative of his
excellence in the various relations of life, admirable for the
delicacy yet warmth of respect and tenderness of affection
which it breathes, was erected to his memory in- your churchyard
by his six sons, Angus, Norman, John, James, Alexander, and
Donald. It is a proper and most excellent tribute to the memory
and virtues of a gentleman by those who themselves were gentle
men, in every sense of the word, and is creditable alike to the
father and his sons.

The mention of Bishop Macdonell's name suggested to
Mr. Campbell an interesting incident of those days, illustrative
and characteristic of the kindly sentiments which the Highland
people of Glengarry, Catholic and Protestant, cherished towards
each other. Some dispute had arisen between Mr. Bethune
and the members of his congregation, as still sometimes, per
haps, happens in the best regulated parishes, which they failed
to settle by themselves. The happy thought occurred to some
one to submit the difficulty in question to Bishop Macdonell,
their esteemed Catholic neighbor, at St. Raphaels, and this
course was mutually agreed on. He undertook to settle matters,
and after the hearing of parties, the Bishop who might, perhaps,
be expected to give the benefit of the doubt, if any he had,
to his Protestant confrere, by way of upholding the principle
of authority, not only gave judgment in his favour, but gave the
people a good lecture, in Gaelic of course, on the duty of respect
and obedience, which they owed to their ecclesiastical superior,
which exhortation the congregation received in good part and
the breach between them and their pastor was healed. In
addition to this instance of the utter absence of intolerance,
I may mention that in cases of emergency the Bishop was
often sent for to administer consolation to dying neighbors
not of his Faith, but who wanted prayers in their beloved Gaelic
tongue, which he spoke as well as English, better indeed, for it
was his mother's tongue, who by the way was a Cameron and a
Protestant, as were the mothers of two other Catholic prelates,
both of whom I had the honour of knowing, the late Bishop
Cameron, of Antigonish, and the late Bishop Farrell, of Hamil
ton; and good high principled women they all must have been
and proud I have occasion to know they all were of the eminence
achieved by their sons in the communion of another Faith.

56

The Reverend Mr. Campbell whom I have so extensively
quoted in this paper, is again my authority for a statement
illustrative of the kindly relations between those of different
creeds which subsisted in those early days; and it is to the effect
that the Church of the Reco let Fathers, in Montreal, was placed
by them at the disposal of the Presbyterians in 1791, when their
own church on St. Gabriel Street was undergoing repairs, and
that they gladly accepted of their hospitality and their sacra
ments were administered in it, the Priests declining to accept
of any compensation by way of rent, but were induced to accept
as a present from the congregation two casks of Spanish wine
and a box of candles, quaintly expressing themselves as being
"quite thankful for the same."

You are of course aware that a very large proportion of
the United Empire Loyalists, who were amongst the hardest
fighters in the Revolutionary War, especially in the K.R.R. N.Y.,
and who settled along the front of this township and in the
adjacent township of Cornwall, especially in the neighborhood
of St. Andrews, were Highland Catholics, who had come from
Glengarry in Scotland. I might mention that a descendant
of one of them, my friend Mr. Donald D. Macdonell, is the Reeve
of your township at this day. Immediately after their settle
ment in Glengarry, in Canada, those who were Catholics took
steps towards procuring the services of a clergyman of their
Faith and one acquainted with their language, some, indeed
many of them, speaking none other than the Gaelic. Repre
sentations were therefore made to the Reverend Roderick
Macdonell, brother of Captains Archibald and Allan Macdonell
(Leek) of the K.R.R. N.Y., and closely related to others of the
officers and known to and respected by the men, to join them
in that capacity. He had, I believe, been educated at the Scots
College, at Valladolid, in Spain, where, or at Douay, in France,
most of the gentlemen of the name received their education in
those days, and had ministered as Priest to the people of his
native Glengarry previous to his coming to Canada. He there
upon placed himself in communication with Lord Sydney,
then Secretary of State for the Colonies and Plantations, who
represented the circumstances to the King, the result being
that Mr. Macdonell was sent to Canada with the following
letter to Lieutenant Governor Hamilton.

Whitehall, 24th June, 1785.

"Sir, — Having laid before the King the memorial of Mr.
Roderick Macdonell, stating that, at the solicitation of a con
siderable number of Scots' Highlanders and other British sub
jects of the Roman Catholic persuasion, who, prior to the last
war, were inhabitants of the back settlements of the Province

57

of New York, and to whom, in consideration of their loyalty
and services, lands have been lately assigned in the higher parts
of Canada, he is desirous of joining them in order to serve them
in the capacity of a clergyman, in the humble hope that, on his
arrival at their settlement, he shall be allowed by Government
an annual subsistence for the discharge of that duty, I enclose
to you the said memorial, and am to signify to you the King's
commands that you do permit Mr. Macdonell to join the above
mentioned settlers and officiate as their clergyman; and with
respect to the allowance to be made to him, I shall take an early
opportunity of communicating to you His Majesty's pleasure.

"I am, etc.,

"SYDNEY."

The Reverend Roderick Macdonell was for many years
stationed at St. Regis, opposite Cornwall, where he eventually
died as Missionary Priest to the Indians there. I am rather
inclined to think that that place was always his headquarters,
and the U.E. Loyalists, as we know, living on the opposite side
of the St. Lawrence, that he officiated as Priest on both sides
of the river, to the Loyalists on this side and the Indians on
the other. He was undoubtedly the first Catholic Priest in this
Province, under the British Regime, deriving as we have seen
from Lord Sydney's letter his subsistence from the Crown,
for the U.E. Loyalists, except the officers on half-pay, had no
money. They had what was better — and left a prouder legacy
to their children, the knowledge of sacrifices cheerfully made
for the Crown and duty fearlessly accomplished for the mainten
ance on this part of the continent of America of those British
Institutions which it is our privilege now to enjoy.

The Reverend Roderick Macdonell was one of a once large
family connection in this County and elsewhere. He was
amongst others the grand-uncle of Mr. George Macgillivray
(through his mother), the great grand-uncle of Mrs. Farquhar
Robertson, and of myself; the grand-uncle of Sir Richard Scott,
of Ottawa, the great grand-uncle through both his father and
mother, of my cousin, Mr. McLean Greenfield Macdonell, of
Toronto; the great grand-uncle (through their mothers) of the
family of the late Hon. D. A. Macdonald, the late Judge Pringle
and the late Sheriff Mclntyre, of Cornwall; of the children of
the late William McLeod, of Summerstown; the grand-uncle,
through their mother, of the family of the late Colonel Alexander
Chisholm, of Alexandria, and many others.

A reference to the old U.E. list compiled by Government
by direction of Lord Dorchester shews the original United Em
pire Loyalists of the Province. In many instances, however,
instead of the township being given, it is stated merely that

58

lands were alloted in the eastern district. That list was pre
pared in pursuance of the Order-in-Council of the 9th November,
1789, wherein it was stated that it was His Excellency's desire
"to put a marke of honour upon the families who had adhered
to the Empire, and joined the Royal Standard in America
before the Treaty of Separation in the year 1783, — to the end
that their posterity may be discriminated from future settlers —
as proper objects by their persevering in the Fidelity and Con
duct so honourable to their ancestors for distinguished benefits
and privileges."

I have made a very close and careful examination of Lord
Dorchester's list with a view to ascertaining the Highland names
prevalent in Glengarry upon it, for I am quite a bit of a High
lander myself, and although the family to which I belong were
not themselves U.E. Loyalists, yet my father's mother and my
grandfather's mother's families, the Macdonells of Leek and of
Aberchalder, both were. This list may interest you, a large
number, if not a majority, of you, being the descendants of these
deserving men yourselves, and so I give it to you alphabetically
and fully.

List of the Highland names appearing upon Lord Dorchester's
U.E. Loyalist list with the Number of each Clan thereupon:

Bethune 2

Campbell 28

Cameron 25

Kerr 4

Chisholm 13

Clark 8

Cumming 4

Ferguson 15

Fraser 27

Grant 35

Munro 12

Murchison 5

McAlpine 1

McArthur 10

McAuley 2

McBain 4

McCallum.. 1

McCrimmon 1

McDonald 8

McDonell 84

McDougall , 5

McDufT . 1

McFall 3

McGillis 5

McGregor 6

McGruer 4

Mclntyre 7

Mclntosh 11

McKay 10

McKenzie 8

McLaren 4

McLaughlin 5

McLean 11

McLennan. . . 4

McLeod 4

McMartin 3

McMaster 1

McMillan 1

McNab 3

McNairn 1

McNaughton. .. 2

McNeill 5

McNish 3

McPhee 1

McPherson 6

Robertson 8

Ross 20

Scott 4

Stewart 5

Stuart 6

Sutherland.. . 8

I quote from the original list. Names were subsequently added
from time to time by Order-in-Council on the special application
of those who had omitted to take the precaution in the first
instance. The additions would not alter the proportion of the
above nomenclature. I am satisfied, however, from facts within
my knowledge, that many of the Highlanders unfortunately
never took the trouble of having their names inserted at all,

59

first or last. Thus Bishop Macdonell (who came to Canada
over twenty years after the Loyalists had settled here) writing
subsequently states "I had not been long in the province when
I found that few or none of even those of you who were longest
settled in the country had legal tenures to your property. Aware
that if trouble or confusion took place in the province your prop
erties would become uncertain and precarious, and under this
impression, I proceeded to the seat of Government where after
some month's hard and unremitting labour through the public
offices, I procured for the inhabitants of Glengarry and Stor-
mont patent deeds for 126,000 acres of land."

Now when they would not trouble about taking out their
patents, many of them would not think of having their names
inscribed on the roll. Bishop Macdonell's address, of which
I have given this extract, was addressed at a time of great
prevalent excitement to the people of Glengarry, Protestants
and Catholics alike, and not to these of his Faith alone, and I
am glad to quote it, as it is a good indication of the magnitude
upon which he was able to conduct affairs, and of the extent
of the business capacity and influence of this extraordinary
man, who was a most loyal and faithful subject of his Sovereign,
a most loyal and devoted Bishop of the Church to which he
belonged, and a most loyal and true-hearted friend of the High
land people of this County of Glengarry, without distinction
of class or creed. He was appointed as Bishop upon the nomin
ation of the King, his nomination of course, being subject to
the Pope's confirmation; and he was assigned by the British
Government a pension of £800 a year for his services to his
Sovereign and country and especially for the fact that he had
been instrumental in raising, in Scotland, the Glengarry Fencible
or British Highland Regiment, and, in this country, the Glen
garry Light Infantry Regiment which covered your County
with glory by its services in the war of 1812.

The reference to Bishop Macdonell gives me the opportunity
too, of inserting here a very extraordinary document, quite
unique and unprecedented, and which was called forth by the
address to the people of Glengarry from which I have just
quoted.

Address of the Orange Body of the City of Toronto to the
Right Reverend Alexander Macdonell, D.D., Bishop of Regio-
polis. (He was Bishop of the whole Province of Upper Canada,
titular Bishop of Regiopolis, in partibus, etc., etc.)

"May it please your Lordship: We the Orangemen of the
City of Toronto, beg to approach your Lordship with the senti
ments of unfeigned respect for your pious and loyal labour
in the service of your Church and Country, and during a long,

60

protracted life for the Christian liberality which you have ever
evinced for those of a different creed.

"We beg to reciprocate the charitable feelings breathing
throughout your Lordship's address to the Electors of Glengarry
and Stormont; sentiments which bear deeply the impress of a
mind noble and virtuous, raised alike above the mean and grovel
ling distinctions of party feeling or political rancour; such feel
ings when disseminated, we trust, in the approaching contest for
the maintenance of the British Constitution, may array Catholics
and Orangemen side by side, and hand in hand, to achieve a
victory more bloodless than, yet as glorious as that which they
won on the empurpled field of Waterloo.

"W7e take leave of Your Lordship with a fervent wish that
Providence may gild the setting sun of your declining days with
every blessing and that Catholics and Orangemen all over the
world may live united in the bonds of Christian fellowship, such
as will tend to prevent the crafty agitator and the renegade
apostate from ever being able to sever that bond of union which
we trust may ever exist between us, not only in our attachment
to each other, but also in our attachment to our Mother Country."

The Bishop in his reply, stated that no cause of difference
or misunderstanding existed between Catholics and Orangemen
in Canada; that as fellow subjects they should stand shoulder
to shoulder in defence of the British Constitution and British
liberty against the crafty, and designing enemies who expected
to achieve by cunning what they dare not attempt by force,
and that he trusted they would unitedly prove an impenetrable
bulwark of their adopted country and a strong chain of connec
tion with the parent state.

This address and Bishop Macdonell's reply were re-pub
lished in the "Canadian American" of Chicago, March 25th,
1892, which well remarked when commenting upon it that a
continuance of the spirit shown in the address and reply, is
essential to the prosperity, if not the existence, of the Dominion.

Mr. Chairman, your committee have indeed shown a con
tinuance of that spirit when they invited me, a Roman Catholic
known by everybody in our county to be such, to participate
in your festivities attendant upon the centenary celebration
of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and to address you upon a
subject so deeply interesting to us all as the "United Empire
Loyalists." I appreciate your courtesy and kindness to the full
and, descendants of those Loyalists, I take my leave of you,
with this wish — the best that I may — "May you and your
children be loyal as they."

C. H. Cahan, K.G.

Mr. C. H. Cahan, K.C., of Montreal, followed. He said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: The only claim I have to discuss
with a Glengarry audience the history and traditions of the
United Empire Loyalists is that I was born and brought up in
New Scotland, or, as we call it, Nova Scotia, and that my
grandfather was of good old Presbyterian stock. In Nova
Scotia a large part of our population, especially in the western
counties, came from New York and from New England a little
over a century ago, and their sentiments and their traditions
still dominate to a large extent throughout the Maritime Prov
inces. After the Revolution, large numbers of Loyalists settled
in Shelburne, for instance, and founded a city of twenty-five
thousand people, every one of them migrating from New York
before or immediately after the Declaration of Independence and
the recognition of that independence by Great Britain. A
century ago, so long to look back, and yet a century in the history
of a people is but as a passing cloud, a time so short in compari
son with the remote past, and still shorter in comparison with the
great future which awaits the development of our country's
destiny — a century ago, in English-America, then the thirteen
original colonies with a population of only about three million
people, there was in the early stages of that conflict but one
dominant sentiment, and that was this — that when, under the
charter granted by King James, these settlements had been es
tablished, it had been guaranteed to the people of England,
Ireland, Scotland and Wales, who emigrated to the American
Colonies, that all the rights and privileges of British citizenship
would be vouchsafed to them and their children for all future
generations, in this new world, which they were then settling;
and they demanded that that guarantee should be faithfully
respected.

As to who was right and who was wrong in the early part
of that conflict, it is not now necessary for us to consider. A
good deal was due to the wrong-headed Englishmen who, at
that time, were advising a wrong-headed King. In that con
flict Scotsmen took a very important part. Scotsmen at home
or in British settlements abroad have always demanded for them
selves the same political franchises and privileges which belong
to other citizens of the country in which they dwell. And the
Scotsmen of North Carolina and a lesser number of Scotsmen
in New York were at that time united in demanding that the
rights and privileges that pertained to responsible self-govern
ment in Great Britain should be vouchsafed to the Scotsmen
and Englishmen who had settled in the American Colonies. A
break came and it 'was an inevitable break, because those in

62

America of the Scottish race were true to the traditions of the
race from which they had sprung. They maintained their
fidelity to the British Crown, until by exhausting every possible
political expedient, they had tried to secure for themselves
the rights and privileges which they and their representatives
in the Assemblies of the thirteen colonies then demanded of the
Crown.

And so when the final break came there were thousands
who could not, in their own consciences, justify rebellion, and
who made their way, some of them to these northern wilds,
some to our eastern provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward
Island and Nova Scotia, to make their homes amid wild sur
roundings in a free country, and here they laid the political
foundations of these northern British provinces which still form
so important a part of this great Canadian confederacy, which
is still faithful to the British Crown. They came into this coun
try a little over a century ago. There were about seventy thou
sand of them in all. They made their way up the rivers and
through the forests, hewing down the trees, clearing the land,
building their log-cabins. Men and women, who had been reared
amidst comparative luxury and pleasure, who had never known
privation, undertook to establish new settlements in this northern
country. It was through the experience of the municipal
institutions which they had organized in the United States
that they laid the foundations for the municipal and local and
provincial governments which we have throughout the length
and breadth of this land today. They tell us sometimes that
Sir John Macdonald, or Sir Wilfrid Laurier, or this man, or that
man was the founder of this confederation, that they made
Canada. Ladies and gentlemen, the real makers of Canada
lie throughout the length and breadth of this land, quietly
sleeping their last sleep in the little churchyards such as we visited
today. Their work is done, but their works live after them.
These men and women, who sacrificed every thing, were the makers
of Canada and the founders of the industrial, agricultural
and political success that we have so far achieved. Mr. McMas-
ter has well said, and truly said, that the utmost that we can do
in the future, the highest accomplishments that we can achieve
will never mean so much for our country as the devotion and
self-sacrifice of our forefathers. But gentlemen, their devotion
and self-sacrifice developed from their fidelity to the best tra
ditions of their race. They refused to break away from these
traditions.

I was discussing the other day a matter of pure business
with a gentleman of one of the Southern American Republics
in my office. It was a matter of ordinary import. I said to
him, such and such a course is right. He doubted it. He

63

could not understand that it was the right course to take.
Naturally, it then occurred to me that his traditions, his history,
his consciousness of right and wrong were altogether different
from mine. He had been brought up in an entirely different
atmosphere. A certain consciousness of rijht and wrong had
been instilled into me and had become a pa± t of my intellectual
make-up, of which he had apparently no real conception whatso
ever. To our forefathers we owe the moral and religious at
mosphere in which we were born and bred.

History has been in the making for a century since the Rev.
John Bethune, inspired by loyalty to the traditions of this race,
led his congregation into Glengarry to make the first Scotch
settlement here, and we of the Presbyterian faith, and we who
have Scotch blood in our veins, can never fully recognize and
appreciate what we owe to the piety, the" learning, and to the
intellectual zeal of those men who, following in his path, have
been the religious leaders of our people throughout the genera
tions of the past. The Scotch clergy in the Canadian Provinces
founded schools of learning, seminaries, universities. Whatever
success the sons of the several provinces have achieved has been
very largely due to the schools which the clergy of the
Loyalist immigrants were instrumental in founding.

But today in Canada our population is nearly three times
as large, two and a half times at least, as was the population
of the thirteen American colonies when that unfortunate cleavage
came between those Colonies and Great Britain. We in Canada
are today nearly equal in population to Scotland and Ireland
taken together. We are true to the traditions in which we
have been born and bred. We are as loyal to our Crown and as
faithful in our allegiance as were our ancestors who came from
the south to settle here, as faithful as are the sons of the same
race who still dwell in the Motherland. I am Imperialist
through and through to the core. I was born and bred of the
faith, but I hope the Glengarry boy who is here today, who
has been representing an English constituency in the Imperial
Parliament, will carry the idea back to Great Britain with him,
that the eight millions of Canadian people born and bred in the
traditions in which we are born and bred, with the moral and edu
cational advancement with which we have been favoured, will
not be content to remain in the Empire in a position of mere
colonial dependency or subserviency. I desire to see some organ
ization of this Empire now, or in the near future, under which
a man who is born and bred in Canada, will have a voice and a
vote in deciding all those great issues of war and peace, which
have to do with the mighty forces making for the civilization
of the world. It is a mighty good thing to have a Canadian,
born and bred, represent an English constituency as Mr.

64

Macmaster does, because directly and indirectly he can influence
political opinion in Great Britain, and thus, in a large measure,
determine the mighty issues which make for our Imperial
destiny.

There will be ^10 Revolution in this country. There will
be no political cleavage such as sent our ancestors on their
pilgrimage up through these northern wilds to make their homes
here; but, while I am loyal and my heart is true, I still retain
this right to speak on all the platforms throughout this country,
to urge in the press and by every constitutional means, to the
utmost of which I am capable, that the men and women in this
country shall have the same political rights and privileges,
the same voice in Imperial affairs, which the citizens of Scotland,
England, Ireland and Wales have from time immemorial de
manded for themselves in the Motherland.

The younger generation here present today — if God spares
their lives — will see a marvellous development in this country,
the like of which has never been seen before. It takes eighty
years for a people, by the natural increase, to double its popula
tion, under the most favourable circumstances known in any
country. We have increased from three and a half millions in
1867 and today we have nearly eight millions of people in this
country. Large numbers of foreign immigrants are going into
our northwest. Do you realize that sixty per cent of the popu
lation of these great northwestern provinces were not brought
up in the traditions and ideals in which we are bred, that sixty
per cent of them were born in alien lands, who never owed alle
giance to our Crown and to our King, and who have never known
the political traditions in which we were reared and educated.
What do you find on the other hand ? In the great Province
of Quebec, we have a people who are often misunderstood, a
population of two millions, born and bred in a different religious
faith, with other racial traditions, with ideals somewhat different
from those in which we have been born and bred. The three
million of people in the United States who delcared their inde
pendence of Great Britain were all of British stock. Of the seven
millions of people who live in Canada today one-third are of
French descent, and a large number are of alien races. Shall
we be able, ladies and gentlemen, to assimilate with this foreign
immigrant population of the west, to educate them according
to our ideas and our ideals. There is the problem, a great
problem that confronts us.

I think we in the east have been doing, in a large measure,
our share. We have established the western provinces. We
have given them organized provincial and municipal institu
tions similar to our own. We have sent out into the northwest
teachers and clergymen of our own faith, in the hope of laying

65

the foundations, broad and deep, of a great British-Canadian
nationality in the west. We will attain that ideal of a British-
Canadian nationality, only by sympathy, by kindness, by
respecting the conscientious beliefs of others, by adhering to
the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we would others do to
us, by adhering to a broad liberal policy, under which the rights
and liberties of every Canadian will be equally maintained.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have already spoken too long;
but I wish to repeat we have before us problems, religious,
social and political as difficult of solution in this northern country,
lying between the Atlantic and Pacific, as ever our ancestors
faced. And those who live for the next twenty- five years may
live as full a life, and must deal with issues as vital as were ever
placed before the country in the past. God grant that, as our
ancestors were given faith, courage and sincerity to deal with
these issues which were brought before them, we, in the same
spirit, may approach those still greater and more far-reaching
issues which we and our children will be called upon to decide.

Dr. J. A. Macdonald

The last speaker in the afternoon was Dr. Macdonald, of
Toronto, whose remarks were along the same lines as on Sunday
morning, It must be remembered, he said, that all the High
landers in Carolina did not fight for independence, but for the
larger liberty that we in Canada now enjoy. Also that if wrong-
headed advisers had not wrongfully advised King George,
there would have been no American Revolution. Because those
Highlanders fought for what they believed was right, we were
celebrating this U. E. Loyalist Day. Our duty to Canada was
to make the country worthy of the men who sacrificed so much
and we could not do better than maintain the principles for which
our ancestors stood. The world needed more men of the Scotch
type, with their splendid principles, their good education and
their inflexible honesty, and just so far as we followed those
traditions of honor and honesty, would we succeed in this new
land.

Three hearty cheers were given for Col. Robertson, and the
singing of God Save the King brought one of the most unique
and successful celebrations ever held in Glengarry to a close.

The choir of St. Andrew's Church rendered several selections
during the afternoon, and the Highland Pipe Band of the 59th
Regt. gave zest to the proceedings with their stirring music.

66

A full and highly interesting sketch of the Rev. John Bethune
first pastor of the Church, is given in the address of Mr. John
A. Macdonell, K.C., published in the report of the Centenary
Celebrations.

The following is from an article entitled "History and
Present State of Religion in Upper Canada," which appeared
in the Christian Recorder of March, 1819:

For many years there were only two clergymen in Upper
Canada: Doctor Stuart, of the Established Church, at Kingston,
and Mr. John Bethune in Charlottenburg, a clergyman regularly
ordained in the Kirk of Scotland. They were both shining lights
and singularly qualified to support the clerical character in all
its mildness and dignity. These two servants of God, are in
their labors so much identified with the history of the Church

REV. JOHN BETHUNE

in Upper Canada that a short notice of each becomes necessary
and while it gratifies their numerous friends still living, cannot
fail of being acceptable to every sound professor of the Gospel.
The Rev. John Bethune, a native of the Isle of Skye, was
educated at Kings' College, Aberdeen, and regularly admitted
to the ministry, according to the forms of the Kirk of Scotland.
Soon after obtaining orders he was invited' to South Carolina
to take charge of a congregation of his countrymen, many of
them friends and neighbors of his family, who had removed to
America a little before the commencement of the Civil War.
To this flock he was most acceptable, not only on account of his
meekness of disposition and pious habits, but likewise on account
of the fluency and elegance with which he spoke and wrote the
Gaelic language.

67

He had been settled only a short time among his people
when discord lighted the flames of war from one end of the con
tinent to the other. In the hour of danger his native timidity
fled; he disdained temporary compliance, and boldly declared
for the King. The public profession of his principles made him
odious to the insurgents, who treated him in the most cruel
and oppressive manner. He was detained for many months a
prisoner of war. He was marched on foot from Charlestown to
New York, among the common captives, and no attention paid
to his rank or situation. Obliged to sleep on the ground, and
exposed to every privation and insult, he suffered with so much
Christian fortitude and mildness as to astonish his persecutors,
and his kind attention to his fellow-sufferers gained their hearts
and afforded him the blessing of turning many in the prisons
where he was immured from the evils of their ways, After his
exchange he was appointed Chaplain to a Scotch regiment,
the duties of which office he discharged with great credit and
usefulness. On the return of peace, he accompanied his people,
many of whom, by his influence and example, had joined the
Royal Standard, to Upper Canada, and being followed by great
numbers of his countrymen they formed an extensive parish
of which he became pastor.

His duty was exceedingly laborious, having to preach in
rotation at four different places; yet he persevered to the very
last, although laboring for many years under a severe cough,
which indicated great weakness of lungs.

The veneration and affection which he experienced from his
people knew no bounds. In the pulpit he was plain, perspicuous
and affecting; for what he said to others he believed and felt.

His congregation continued greatly to increase, for their
friends whom they invited to join them from Scotland, rejoiced
to find that they would enjoy the same gospel privileges which
they possessed at home. And this advantage induced many
others to settle within the range of his labors, who had come out
with the purpose of going to a different part of the Province.
On their arrival they saw the country entirely destitute of religious
instruction, except in this favored corner where the pastor
and his flock appeared to be nourished with the dews of heaven.
Valuing this beyond any benefit that could arise from the greater
mildness of climate or convenience of situation they sat down
under his spirital direction.

Having preached thirty years through the greater part of
the Eastern District, the infimities of age crept gradually upon
him — his cough became more troublesome, and having been
exposed to more than his usual fatigue, in returning from King
ston, he was taken extremely ill on the road, and died a few
days after reaching his own home.

68

"Mark the perfect man and behold the upright,
For the end of that man is peace."

Over his last resting place in the cemetery at Williamstown
is a monument with this inscription :

"Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Jno. Bethune, pastor of
the Congregation of the Kirk of Scotland in Glengarry. He
departed this life at Williamstown on the 23rd September,
1815, in the 66th year of his age and the 44th of his ministry.

"That he was a faithful steward, the peace and happiness
of his flock are the most certain proof.

"That he was eminently endeared by those conciliating
endearing qualities, which united society in the closest bonds of
unanimity and friendship, his numerous congregation, who shed
the tribute of unfeigned sorrow over his grave, have borne the most
honorable testimony.

"That he was open, generous and sincere, those who par
ticipated in his friendship can afford the most satisfactory
evidence.

"That he was a kind and affectionate husband, a tender
and indulgent parent, the love and unanimity of his numerous
family furnish the most undeniable proof.

"This monument is erected as a mark of filial affection to
his memory by his six sons, Angus, Norman, John, James,
Alexander, Donald."

Two of Mr. Bethune's sons joined ^the Anglican Church,
and rose to distinction in that body. John, the third son,
became Dean of Montreal, and Alexander, the fifth son, Bishop
of Toronto, in succession to Dr. Strachan, whose pupils they had
been at Cornwall.

In the year 1818 the Rev. John McKenzie, M.A., a native
of Fort Augusta, Scotland, succeeded to the pastorate. Mr.
McKenzie, in common with his predecessor and those who suc
ceeded him as ministers of St. Andrews, Williamstown, was a man
of sterling Christian character and proved a faithful shepherd
of his charge. Although the district at that period was fast
increasing in population, the conditions in regard to roads and
travelling facilities were not sufficiently improved to render his
mission work an easy task. He preached twice every Sunday
in Williamstown — Gaelic and English — and during an interval
between the two services he taught a Bible class. He also
preached statedly at Summerstown and at times held services
at other points throughout the district until regular supplies
were provided.

During the turbulent time of the Papineau Rebellion it
will be remembered, the Government of the day called out

69

the men of Glengarry to suppress it. Mr. McKenzie did not
stand idly by, but was with his people at the front, and forever
watchful for their personal comfort and spiritual welfare.

At the time of the disruption in the year 1844 he preached
a memorable sermon on the Revelation to the seven churches
which are in Asia. He pointed out in his discourse that although
there were faults in the churches, they were beseeched not to
leave the church on that account but to remove the faults.

St. Andrew's, Williamstown, was Mr. McKenzie's only
charge, his ministry extending from 1818 to 1855 — the time of
his death — a period of thirty-seven years. His remains rest
in the old St. Andrew's Cemetery, Williamstown.

The words of his last text were: "This is the will of God,
even your sanctification."

A memorial tablet placed in the church bears the following
inscription :

Sacred to the Memory

of the

REV. JOHN McKENZIE, M.A.

Born at Fort Augustus, Scotland, on the 5th day of May, 1 790 ;
Ordained on the 23rd day of December, 1818;

Died on the 21st day of April, 1855.
A faithful pastor he was revered by his flock;

As a father among his people

he was beloved and esteemed by them.

His generous heart sympathized with them both in joy and sorrow.

His liberal hand was only restrained by the limited
resources of his charity, but the friendless student, the poor and

the fatherless, have cause to bless his memory.

Zealously attached to the Church of Scotland, and earnest m

promoting her interests in the land of his adoption, yet his

spirit was mild, Catholic and tolerant. And the tears

of unfeigned sorrow, shed by many of every religious

denomination over his grave, attest the

liberality of his sentiments.

As a scholar, as a Christian gentleman, as a faithful Minister of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his memory will be long cherished
in many a heart and the name of John McKenzie a house
hold word in Glengarry.

This tablet was erected by members of the congregation and other

private friends as a testimony of their esteem for his worth

and of their gratitude for his faithful services.

70

(FROM THE RECORDS OF GLENGARRY PRESBYTERY)

Mr. McKenzie was born in Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire
Scotland, in May,* 1790. He was from his youth dedicated to
the sacred office of the ministry, by the devoted piety of Christian
parents.

After completing that simple yet substantial and efficient
course of preliminary education, which is furnished in the paro
chial schools of Scotland, Mr. McKenzie was removed to the

REV JOHN MCKENZIE, M.A.

University and King's College, Aberdeen, and such was his
proficiency, that he carried off the first competition bursary,
over many rivals, in entering college.

During his college course he was distinguished alike for his
industry and exemplary deportment. Like most young men
of his standing, his college vacations were devoted to the instruc
tion of youth, first as a teacher of the parish school of Urquhart.
in the Presbytery of Inverness, and afterwards as assistant
teacher in the grammar school of Old Aberdeen. After finishing
his college course he was licensed to preach the Gospel by the
Presbytery of Aberdeen in 1818, about which time he received
a call from the congregation of Williamstown, Canada, then
vacant by the death some years before, of the much esteemed

71

and venerable John Bethune, the first minister of the Church
of Scotland settled in Canada, to become their pastor.

The circumstances of the times rendered the step of calling
an unseen and unheard pastor necessary, and* though hazardous
and unadvisable in any circumstances, in the present case it
proved a mutual blessing. By special permission Mr. McKenzie
was accordingly ordained in 1818 by the Presbytery of Aberdeen,
as pastor over that congregation among whom he labored with
apostolic simplicity and faithfulness to the period of his death,
thirty-six years.

He found himself on his arrival at Wil-liamstown the only
minister of the Church of Scotland in Upper Canada, and was
justly regarded from that time as being, next to Mr. Bethune,
the father of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, in connection
with the Church of Scotland. Accordingly on the first formation
of the Synod of the Church in 1831, Mr. McKenzie was unan
imously chosen as moderator.

He lived to see the Synod increased to six Presbyteries and
its ministers to eighty members, a number which but for the
calamitous secession of 1844, consequent upon the disruption
of the Church of Scotland, would have been more than doubled.

In person Mr. McKenzie was of a slight frame but of great
activity and endurance. Like his Master he was continually
going about doing good. In intellect Mr. McKenzie was more
clear than commanding. In style he was remarkable for .his
taste and correctness, and his judgment was sound and eminently
practical. Susceptible of strong partialities and antipathies,
he was a warm friend and a manly foe, but great benevolence
of heart was his distinguishing characteristic. No one ever
appealed to his sympathy in vain. His heart was ever open
to the poor, and the afflicted always found in him the sympa
thizing friend and comforter. As a husband and relative he was
most devoted and dutiful. As a neighbour and a member of
society, no man ever gained more the good will and respect of
all who approached him, without distinction of name or party.
At his burial Roman Catholics vied with Protestants in doing
him honour. In his ministerial and pastoral relations Mr.
McKenzie was eminently successful and useful. As a preacher
his style and manner was unassuming and unempassioned,
but always chaste and pleasing. But it was as a pastor he shone,
rather than as a preacher. In the pastoral field few have attained
greater success whether that success be measured by the salutary
influence he obtained over his flock or by the respect and affection
with which he was regarded by them in return. Mr. McKenzie did
that which few pastors can venture upon with impunity. He inter
ested himself minutely and extensively in the temporal dealings
and concerns of his people, and that in a manner that often

72

benefited them, while his pastoral influence remained uninjured
and undiminished. In a word he taught and influenced his
people more by his blameless life than by his persuasive words.

As a member of church courts, Mr. McKenzie was well
informed and efficient, but never obtrusive nor dogmatic. As
his brethren in days past always felt strengthened and encouraged
by his presence and his counsel, so we are this day called to mourn
at seeing his seat vacant, and to sorrow that we shall no more
see his face nor hear his voice raised up amongst us.

In his wife, Jessie Eraser, a minister's daughter, the Rev.
Mr. McKenzie had an able and efficient helpmate. Her sisters,
Misses Jane and Jemima Fraser, for some years conducted in
Williamstown a private school for girls, and Mrs. McKenzie
frequently had a few young ladies in residence to take advantage
of the instruction she was so well able to impart.

73

In the year 1856 the Rev. Peter Watson was ordained and
inducted. Mr. Watson was a native of Inverness, Scotland.
He came to Canada when young and studied in Queen's Univer
sity, Kingston, where he graduated with honors. He also
preached in Gaelic and in English in Williamstown and every
alternate Sunday afternoon preached at Summers town. He
established a Sunday School which soon had an average of one
hundred scholars. The Rev. Mr. Ferguson, principal of the
Williamstown Grammar School, was placed in charge of the
Sunday school as superintendent.

Mr. Watson, gifted as he was, with eloquence to a rare de
gree, was for some years — until his health began to fail — regarded
as an ornament to the pulpit. He was a man of strong conyic-

REV. PETER WATSON

tions and remained to his convictions forever true. His ministry
in St. Andrew's Church — his first charge — continued until
1875 when the union of the Presbyterian churches in Canada
took place. On the question of union, the congregation divided
those in favour of the union remaining in possession of the church,
while Mr. Watson retired with those who wished to maintain
their connection with the church of Scotland. Mr. Watson
continued to minister to this branch of the congregation until
shortly before his death which took place in 1903.

74

Mr. Watson who was possessed of a kindly and charitable
spirit, was loved and respected by all classes and creeds in the
community. The members of St. Andrew's who entered the
united church, entertained to the end a kind regard for Mr.
Watson, their former pastor. He sleeps in the old cemetery
beside his predecessor, Mr. McKenzie.

Rev. Alex. Macgillivray, D.D., was born of Highland
parents, May, 1850; educated in Public School and Collingwood
Grammar School. Taught school at 17 and received first class
teachers certificate at 19. Matriculated at Queen's University
in 1871. During college course was editor of Queen's College

REV. ALEX. MACGILLIVRAY, D.D.

Journal, and President of Missionary Association. Was ordained
and inducted minister of St. Andrew's, Williamstown, Septem
ber 21st, 1877. Inducted St. John's Brockville, June 30th,
1887. Inducted first pastor of Bonar Church, Toronto, May
1st, 1891, of which he is still pastor. Received the degree of
D.D. from Knox College, Toronto, April, 1912, in recognition
of long and successful pastoral work and services to the cause
of religious education. Dr. Macgillivray has been Convener
of Sabbath School work for six years. His Sabbath school
had the distinction of being the largest in the Presbyterian
Church in Canada.

75

The Rev. Arpad Govan, B.A., the present pastor, was
inducted in the year 1888. He is a graduate and a gold medallist
of Queen's University, Kingston. Mr. Govan, a diligent and
faithful Christian worker has proved a worthy successor to those
who preceded him in the charge. His ministry in St. Andrew's
now extends over a period of nearly a quarter of a century.
There are at present a little over one hundred families, in the
congregation.

REV. ARPAD GOVAN, B.A.

The Sunday school which has a good average attendance
is in charge of Mr. J. A. Cooke, principal of the Williamstown
High School.

The church is in a prosperous condition. It has been thor
oughly renovated and is absolutely free from debt.

76

Donald McDermid was one of the early school teachers
and one of those who taught in the old church. He was born
in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1778, educated at Edinburgh, and came
to this country in 1799, with some of his relatives. He was
engaged to teach the Williamstown school which he did for some
years, when he went into business, in which, however, he was
not successful. He was out in the war of 1812-14, and was wound
ed in the taking of Ogdensburg. Being incapacitated from
further active service, Postmaster General Sutherland made
him postmaster at Coteau du Lac, and General Provost gave
him the School of Royal Foundation, near the Fort there. Here

DONALD MCDERMID

he remained about ten years, when he returned to Williamstown
and again took charge of the village school. Altogether he
taught in Williamstown twenty-six years and a half. He
married Isabella Macdonell, daughter of Hugh Macdonell,
one of the elders of the Church, who resided at the corner east
of the village. Having translated some of Ossian's poems, and
taken a great interest in the discussion regarding the origin of
them, the home of his wife's family came to be called Ossian's
Hall, and Ossian, or more commonly "Ocean" has since been
used to distinguish this family of Macdonells from others of the
Clan.

After his retirement he removed to Cornwall, where he died
in the late fifties.

77

DAVID THOMPSON, A NOTED GEOGRAPHER AND EXPLORER

David Thompson, to whom Mrs. Bethune sold the original
Glebe, and through whom the congregation of St. Andrew's
church, Williamstown, has its title to the church and burial
ground, was one of the greatest land geographers of modern
times.

He was born in London, England, on July 30th, 1770,
his parents being of Welsh extraction. At the age of seven
he entered the Grey Coat School, where in addition to the usual
subjects he received lessons in navigation. In May, 1784, at
the age of fourteen, he left school and was apprenticed to the
Hudson Bay Company for seven years. They sent him out
to Fort Churchill, where Samuel Hearne, the discoverer and ex
plorer of the Coppermine River, was in charge for the Company.
In 1789 the Company sent out Phillip Turner, a surveyor, to
make a survey of Lake Athabasca, and Thompson took advantage
of the opportunity to perfect his knowledge of astronomy and
surveying. He remained in the employ of the Hudson Bay
Company till 1797, assisting in the work of the fur trade at
different points and taking astronomical observations and mak
ing surveys of the country whenever opportunity offered.

It would appear that the officers of the Company thought
that he was making the fur trade subordinate to surveying
and gave orders that he was to discontinue the surveying. This
he refused to do and transferred his services to the North West
Company on May 23rd, 1797. In his journal under that date
appears this entry, "This day left the service of the Hudson
Bay Company and entered that of the Company of the Merchants
from Canada, May God Almighty prosper me."

The North West Company were at this time anxious to
have the position of their trading posts determined and from
this time till 1812, he remained in their employ, exploring and
surveying.

In 1811 when he reached the mouth of the Columbia River
he wrote as follows :

"Thus I have fully completed the survey of this part of
North America from sea to sea, and by almost innumerable
astronomical observations have determined the positions of the
mountains, lakes and rivers, and other remarkable places on the
northern part of this continent. The maps of all these surveys
have been drawn, and they are laid down in geographical position.
This work has occupied me for twenty-seven years."

In 1812 he retired from the service of the North West
Company and settled at Terrebonne, where the next two years
were spent in completing his map of the North West Territory,
which for years hung in the headquarters of the North West

78

Company at Fort William and is now in the possession of the
Province of Ontario.

In 1815 he moved to Williamstown which he made his home
till some time in the thirties.

In 1816 he was appointed by the British Government
to survey the boundary line between the United States and
Canada from Maine to the North West Angle of the Lake of
the Woods. In this work he was engaged till 1825 and the maps
then made by him still govern.

Dr. J. J. Bigsby, the naturalist of the International Bound
ary Commission, thus speaks of his first meeting with David
Thompson in Mr. McGillivray's home in Montreal, about the
year 1817:

"A singular looking person of about fifty. He was plainly
dressed, quiet and observant. His figure was short and compact,
and his black hair was worn long all around, and cut square,
as if by one stroke of the shears, just above the eyebrows. His
complexion was of the gardener's ruddy brown, while the ex
pression of deeply furrowed features was friendly and intelligent,
but his cut short nose gave him an odd look, His speech betrayed
the Welshman.

"No living person possesses a tithe of his information
respecting the Hudson Bay countries. Never mind his Bunyan-
like face and cropped hair: he has a very powerful mind, and a
singular faculty of picture making. He can create a wilderness
and people it with warring savages, or climb the Rocky Moun
tains with you in a snow storm, so clearly and palpably that
only shut your eyes and you hear the crack of the rifle or feel
the snow flakes on your cheeks as he talks.

"Mr. Thompson was a firm churchman, while most of our
men were Roman Catholics. Many a time have I seen these
uneducated Canadians most attentively and thankfully listen,
as they sat upon some bank of shingle, to Mr. Thompson, while
he read to them, in most extraordinary pronounced French,
three chapters out of the Old Testament and as many out of the
New, adding such explanations as seemed to him suitable."

During his residence in Williamstown Mr. Thompson
lived in the old manse, now known as "The White House,"
and carried on a general store on lot number thirty-two, south
of John Street, where Mr. Donald McCrimmon now resides.
He was not successful in business and his Williamstown property
passed into the hands of a Montreal firm which had been sup
plying him with goods.

After leaving Williamstown he took up his residence at
Longueuil, where he died February 10th, 1857. His wife, a
native of the North West, whom he married at Isle a la Crosse,
on the Churchill river, died on May 7th, of the same year.

79

In the "Geographical Journal" for January, 1911, there is
an article by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell, entitled, "David Thompson, a
great Geographer," from which this paper is largely drawn.

Mr. Tyrrell says: "Thompson's work must not be confused
with that accomplished by ordinary explorers, or even with
that of many of the clerks of the fur companies who have
written journals and have given excellent accounts of the new
countries through which they travelled. Their work .was de
scriptive and general, his was detailed and exact, so that where
ever he went, others could follow him. They described small
portions of the country, he learned of the physical features of
all the vast country through which he travelled, and grouped
these features together on a map in one harmonious whole, so
that not only could any individual course or route of his be fol
lowed, but the relation of these courses to each other, their
distances from each other and from any other place on the sur
face of the earth was known for all time to come.

"It has been my fortune to follow Thompson's courses for
thousands of miles through this Western country, and to take
astrqnomical observations on the same places where he took
them, and it is impossible for me to speak too highly of the general
excellence of these surveys and observations. For three quar
ters of a century Thompson's map was the standard of North
Western Canada, and even yet some parts of it have not been
superseded.

"He never used alcoholic liquors, and during the time that he
was in control of the fur trade west of the Rocky Mountains,
and while most of the posts kept by the fur traders were merely
bar-rooms of the very lowest type, where the Indians were
encouraged in drunkenness and debauchery of every kind,
no alcoholic liquor was allowed to be brought to any post under
his charge. Both morally and scientifically he was a man of
the very highest type. As a discoverer and explorer of new
continental lands, he stands in the highest rank."

COL. CARMICHAEL

In affectionate remembrance

of
Lieutenant Colonel Louis Carmichael,

Late President
of the Glengarry St. Andrews Society,

This Tablet

was placed here on the 30th Nov. 1845, by the members of said
society, as a small but sincere tribute of respect to his memory
as the gallant and high-minded soldier, the devotedly loyal sub
ject, the genuine Highlander, the steadfast friend of his country-

80

men, and the humble, devoted Christian. He was born in the
parish of Alvie, Inverness-shire; entered the British Army
as Ensign in the 39th Regiment, 8th June, 1809, and after
thirty-five years of active duty in the service of his Sovereign
and country in Europe, Asia and Canada, died at Forres, Moray-
shire, 8th August, 1844, aged 52 years, beloved and lamented
by all who could appreciate his character. He now sleeps
in his narrow bed amongst his native hills, in the churchyard
of Cromdale in Strathspey.

After the rebellion of 1837-8, Col. Carmichael was in charge
of the military post at Coteau du Lac, and while stationed there
he spent a lot of his time in Glengarry, and he it was who got
the Glengarry militia to erect the cairn in Lake, St. Francis.
He was very much interested in keeping up the old Highland
customs, and the first Caledonian games held in Glengarry,
were got up by him and were long referred to as "Carmichael's
Games." He had fought in the Peninsular war under Sir John
Moore and had been one of the party at the burial of the latter

at Corunna.

/

"We buried him darkly at dead of night,
The sods with our bayonets turning,
By the struggling moonbeam's misty light,
And the lantern dimly burning."

WILLIAM GRAY

William Gray, died March 23rd, 1893, aged 74 years.

For over forty years he was sexton of St. Andrew's Church.
The stone marking his grave bears this inscription :

"Erected by the congregation in kind remembrance of his
faithful, devoted and generous service."

COMMUNION TOKEN

The above is a facsimile of the Communion token used in
St. Andrew's church, Williamstown, during Rev. John Bethune's
pastorate.

81

APPENDICES

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Rules and Regulations for the Proprietors of the Scotch Presbyterian Church of
Williamstown, in the County of Glengarry, Upper Canada:

We, the Subscribers, Proprietors in the Scotch Presbyterian Church of
Williamstown, being convinced that it will be for the interest, peace and pros
perity of the said church, that the conditions under which we hold our property,
and the rights vested in us by virtue of holding said property, be fully under
stood and ascertained, have for these purposes, agreed to and adopted and do
hereby agree to and adopt the following articles:

1st. Every person owning a pew or pews in the said Church, and who
shall produce a deed, deemed sufficient by the Committee of the Church is a
proprietor and shall be qualified to vote for and be chosen a member of the
committee, or appointed to any other office relative to the direction or manage
ment of the temporalities of the Church.

2nd. There shall be a Committee of the Church, to regulate all the
temporalities thereof, which committee shall be chosen from amongst the

Proprietors at large, at a General Meeting annually, held on

notice having been given of said General Meeting, on the two Sundays or days
of public worship, immediately preceding, from the Pulpit or Precentor's
Desk, and the said Committee shall consist of Five Members, which members
so named and chosen by a majority of the Proprietors there present shall be
considered duly elected and qualified to regulate and manage everything
relative to the temporalities of the said church, during twelve calendar months
after said election, and afterwards until a new committee shall be chosen.
Three members, including a president or vice-president, shall form a quorum
and be competent to transact business.

3rd. The Committee, as described in the preceding article, are empower
ed to sell such pews as may be for sale, to execute deeds and grant leases of
pews to collect and pay monies, to order repairs of the Church, to call Public
Meetings, and to do all and everything respecting the temporalities of the said
Church.

4th. There shall be a Treasurer of the Church, chosen annually by a
majority of the Proprietors at the General Meeting, who shall receive and pay
all monies, fiom and by order of the Committee only, and shail render an
account to the Proprietors, at* the General Meeting held annually, subject
nevertheless to furnish the Committee with a statement of the funds in his
hands, at all times when they require it.

5th. Every propiietor of a pew or pews present at the General Meetings
shall have one vote only, and when two or more Proprietors jointly hold a pew,
they shall have but one vote, they agreeing amongst themselves, by ballot
or otherwise, who shall give that vote, and in case of any misunderstanding
arising amongst such Proprietors on this point, they shall not be entitled to a
vote, until they make it appear that they have agreed, it being hereby provided
nevertheless, that such disagreement shall not affect any other right or privilege,
they possess as proprietors at the general meetings, the above conditional
and partial disqualification being intended only to prevent the retarding or
embarrassing of any business on which a General Meeting may be held.

83

6th. In case of a vacancy in the Church, by the death of the Minister or
otherwise, in the election of a person to supply the said vacancy, the pro
prietors shall vote in conformity to the regulations specified in the fifth article.
7th. To prevent anything like mistake, respecting the election of a
Minister, it is hereby provided and always to be understood that no Proprietor
(as is pointed out in the Fifth Article) shall on any pretence whatever give
his vote to any person but to a man who shall have been regularly bred to the
Ministry, and who shall have been licensed by some regular Presbytery in the
British Dominions, (he producing credentials to ascertain the same), and who
shall profess to be of the persuasion, and who shall adhere to the govern
ment, laws, and mode of worship of the Established Church of Scotland, prop
erly so called and denominated, and known to be such, and who shall also be a
natural born subject of His Majesty. And further, that no person shall be
considered duly elected as Minister of the said Church, without having a
number of votes at least equal to a majority of the whole Proprietors entitled
to vote, had they been present, and without taking the Oath of Allegiance to
His Majesty.

8th. And to the intent that a clerical vacancy may be filled without
unnecessary delay, it is hereby provided that the Proprietors shall after the
signing of these articles, proceed to choose a Ruling Elder, who in case of the
death or removal of the Minister, shall take an active and leading part in pro
curing a successor, who shall in the name and behalf of the Congregation hold
a correspondence with the Presbytery having Ecclesiastical jurisdiction over
the Congregation (if any there be) or with some other Presbytery in His
Majesty's Dominions, who shall call Public Meetings when they may be requis
ite to facilitate the object of his office, and who shall preside at the election
of a Minister, and give a casting vote if necessary.

9th. The rents of the pews and other revenues of the Church shall be
appropriated to the support of the Minister, and to the defraying of incidental
expenses that may be incurred respecting the said Church, such as Clerk's
and Sexton's salaries, necessary repairs, etc.

10th. It shall be the business of the Committee to see all the money
belonging to the Funds of the Church regularly collected, and the minister's
salary fixed and paid, and if it shall so happen that the funds fall short of the
aforesaid purposes the Committee shall call a General Meeting of the Proprie
tors to provide for the deficiency.

llth. Every proprietor in the Church may transfer his property to
another person, by sale, gift or last testament, but no transfer can be valid,
except on the express condition of the new proprietor being approved of by the
committee, and subscribing these articles.

12th. If any proprietor shall refuse or neglect to pay the annual rent
fixed on his pew agreeable to his deed, when become due, the said proprietor
so refusing or neglecting shall immediately lose all right to vote or act as a
proprietor in any matter respecting the said Church. And if the said pro
prietor so refusing or neglecting shall continue to refuse and neglect to pay
the said annual rent, for the space of twelve calendar months from the time
the said annual rent shall have become due, 'then the committee after two
notices from the pulpit or precentor's desk, shall sell the said pew to the
highest bidder, and the money therefrom arising shall belong to the Church.
This, however, is not to extend to persons who from poverty or misfortune
are unable to pay, but regards those only who may be ill inclined to the object
of these regulations.

13th. The preceding articles shall not have any retrospect whatever,
to what has already been done, or in any manner influence what is past, and
no addition to or change in them shall take place, unless the said addition or
change shall have been made at a General Meeting of the Proprietors.

14th. We, the proprietors of the said Church, being convinced of the
utility and propriety of the preceding articles being fully understood and

84

attended to by every proprietor in this Church, and conceiving that it will
greatly tend to the preservation of harmony and to the advancement of
religion among the members hereof, do hereby resolve that every propiietor
and also every one who shall become a proprietor, shall subscribe these articles,
as a proof of his approbation of the same, and of his determination to abide by
them. And until such time as this is done none shall be considered as competent
to give any vote at the general meeting of the proprietors, or in /any matter
whatever respecting the said Church.

In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our proper names this
tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord Christ, 1808:

Duncan Mclntyre

Neil MacLean

Duncan McKenzie

Hugh MacDonell

Lewis Chisholm

Peter Ferguson

Alexander Urquhart

John Mclntyre

Duncan Chisholm

Alexander McGruer

Archibald Cameion

Lewis Grant

Alexander Grant

Benjamin Mclntosh

Alexander McKenzie

John H. Campbell

John McLennan

Donald Ross

Peter Smith, Junr.

Hugh Chisholm

Duncan Grant, Junr.

Duncan Grant, South Branch

John Fraser

John Grant, Sr., South Branch

Peter Grant, Junr.

William Campbell

Daniel Campbell, Senr.

Daniel McKay, Junr.

Ewen Cameron

John Ross

Kenneth Murchison

William Urquhart, Sem.

Alexander Ross

Neil Livingstone

Daniel MacPherson

Daniel McMartin

John McMartin, Senr.

John McNaughton, Senr.

John Hay

Daniel Mclntosh

John McDonell, R-y's Son, Glen.

George Ferguson, Senr. 3rd Con.

The above copy of Regulations as well as of the list of such members of the
Congregation of Williamstown, as have yet signed the Regulations is faithfully
transcribed from the originals in a stitched book, for the convenience of the
Committee, and a subscription is always open in the said stitched book, for
such persons as may yet see the propriety of joining their brethren in support
ing the Institution and subscribing the Articles.

85

Alexander Campbell
John McDonell
Ewen McLaren
Alexander, Ferguson
William Ferguson
Thomas Munroe
Angus Grant, Senr.
Peter Grant, Seni.
Colin Murchison
Duncan McKay
Alexander McDonell
John McDonell
Ewen McDonell
Angus McDonald, Piper
John Cameron, Buey
Angus McPherson
Alexander Grant, Duldregan
William Grant
Peter Ferguson, Senr.
Donald McLennan. 3rd Con
Duncan Ferguson
John Bane McDonell, Glen
AngusvMcDonell, Junr., Glen
Alexander McNaughton
William Chisholm, Junr.
John Grant, Dutch
Alexander McGregor
Kenneth MacLennan
John Ferguson, Junr.
John Dingwall
John Calder
William Calder
Hugh McKay
William Chisholm, Senr.
John Cameron, Rannoch
John McKenzie
John Wright
Malcolm McKillop
Donald McDiarmid
Neil Mclntosh

FIRST PEW HOLDERS

First division of pews in present church made by lot February 23rd, 1818.
After setting aside a pew for the minister's family and pews for the elders, for
Sir Alexander McKenzie and for the North West Company.

Neil Mclntosh 19

Donald McLaren

Glen 54

Duncan & P. Mc-

Martin 48

Malcolm McMartin 94
Alpin McGregor &

McLennan 95

Wm. McKay, Sr . . . 39
James Dingwall .... 64
John Mutchmore. . .79
John McDougall . . .47

Alex. McBean 2

John McLaren 88

Alex. Cameron 66

David Ross & Mc
Kenzie 28

John Roy Ferguson 90

Hugh Christie 24

John McArthur. . . . 16
Roderick McLeod . . 76
Peter Smith, B.S. . .87

James Smith 62

James Gumming. ... 77
Christopher McRae.85

John Munro 58

Murdoch Munro. . .92
Robert McNaugh-

ton 18

Wm. McKay, Jr... .15
Malcolm McGilliv-

ray 96

Murdoch Murchison97
Donald McLaren ... 36
John McDonell,

Gore 69

Smith & Degroit ... 6
John Ferguson, Jr. . .98

PASTORAL LETTER— REV. JOHN BETHUNE

The following letter was addressed to his parishioners by Mr. Bethune a
few days before his death:

To the members of the Presbyterian Congregation at Williamstown,
and of the other Presbyterian Congregations connected with them in Glen
garry.
My Dear Friends and Brethren:

My state of health is so precarious, and I am so advanced in life, that I
cannot reasonably promise to myself many more days, let the event of my
present indisposition be ever so favorable.

Foi several years past, I have had many anxious thoughts about the desti
tute state in which you must be left, when it should please God to call me
away; but I forbore saying anything on the subject, under the impression that

86

Duncan Mclntyre
Neil McLean

25
60

Kenneth Murchison &
Cameron 21

Duncan McKenzie

4

Wm. Urquhart 53

Hugh McDonell
Lewis Chisholm

44

3

Alex. Ross 13
Donald McPherson. . .46

Peter Ferguson
Alex. Urquhart, Sr. . . .
John Mclntyre
Duncan Chisholm . . . .
Alex. McGruer
Archd Cameron

29

82
32
31
91
4S

Donald McMartin. . . .59
Widow McMartin .... 84
iohn McNaughton.. . .43
ohn Hay 51
ohn McDonell, R's
Son . 7

Alex. Grant, Sr., S.B.
James P. Campbell . . .
John McDonell Roy

52
22
41

George Ferguson 72
John Cameron Bui. . . . 93
Alex Grant Dul 63

\Vidow A Ferguson

75

Alex Ferguson 89

Wm. Ferguson
Thomas Munro
Alex. Grant, Jr., S.B. .
Peter Grant, Sr
Alex. McKenzie
John H. Campbell &
McArthur

50
23

27
83
65

"71

Donald McLennan. ... 12
Duncan Ferguson .... 70
John McDonell, H.S. .20
Angus McDonell Glen.80
Alex. McNaughton. . .68
William Chisholm 10
Alex. McGregor 81

John McLennan
Donald Ross

9

55

Kenneth McLennan . .61
John Dingwall 74

Peter Smith

78

John Calder 8

Hugh Chisholm
Duncan Grant, S.B. . .
John Fraser
Alex. Grant, Jun. R.R.
Peter Grant, Jun
Donald Campbell
Arthur Campbell
John Ross ,

1
17

5
99

73
42
35
33

Wm. Calder & McKay40
Hugh McKay 37
William Cameron 67
John Cameron, Ran-
noch 49
John McKenzie 14
John Wright 86
Malcolm McKillop . . .57
Finlay McDermid ... .56

my declining years and growing infirmities would necessarily point out to
yourselves, the propriety of engaging a minister, who might, in the first in
stance, be an assistant and do such parts of the duty, as were above my strength
and who, to diminish as much as possible his expense to the congregation,
might extend his service further than the present limits, and finally succeed to
the whole charge.

But in this expectation I have been disappointed. There is, to this
hour, no more thought of providing a minister, than there was twenty years
ago, and there is as great an apathy respecting this essential measure, as if it
were certain that I should outlive the whole congregation. In this state of
things, I consider it a duty I owe you, to lift up my feeble voice in this manner,
and warn you of the pernicious consequences to yourselves and your families,
of your lukewarmness in this serious business.
***** ******

Add to this the moral and religious instruction which will not only be
kept alive among you, but inculcated with stronger effect and more permanent
benefit the longer it is continued, and the keeping up the observance of every
other ordinance to which you have been accustomed, you must anticipate
a vacancy of any length as a gloomy, uncomfortable period, irksome
to your minds and dangerous to your morals. Bestir yourselves therefore to
take measures of precaution and let not a miserable parsimony persuade you
to shrink back from the attainment of an object so essential to your well-being
in that state where money has no value nor currency. You must allow that
the blessing of Providence has prospered your industry, and that events calam
itous to many others, have been beneficial to you. No excuse can therefore
be sustained from the want of means. The only real want there can be is the
want of will. In every community of any extent some will be poor and dis
tressed, without any apparent fault of their own. Among you the number of
such persons is small, and if it were greater, the more wealthy must in every
public business fill up the deficiency, for under all good governments and
salutary institutions, the rich always pay for the poor, and they have reason
to bless God that they were able to do it. Speaking of poverty, I would call
your attention to a circumstance, which, in a future arrangement, must be
considered. In the congregation of Williamstown, all its members arc charged
alike to make up its minister's salary, without regard to any difference of
circumstances or ability to pay. The consequence is that some distressed
people cannot gratify their own wishes, and the minister loses the amount,
there being no provision made for supplying the loss.

Casualties of fire and other calamities which call for public assistance
affect the minister's income in the same manner. You will say that in such
cases the minister is under the same obligation with other men, to assist
the unfortunate. True, but his donation, like that of every other person,
ought to be voluntary. It should be just what he thinks proper, which in
sinking so much of his salary is not the case, and after a year or two he must
allow the same deduction, the sufferer is not sensible perhaps, that he has
received anything from him, unless something be given over and above, to
relieve the present necessity.

In making provision for a minister, you are not to forget, that he will
have no half-pay. But I think it highly probable that the provincial salary
will be continued to him. From what I have observed of the danger of a long
vacancy, I hope you will see the necessity of early exertion, in so important
a matter, as I have been urging upon your consideration. The articles which
many of you have signed (and it were better you had all signed similar articles)
point out distinctly what sort of character your clergyman is expected to be.
All that is necessary to add, on this part of the subject is, that a young and
single man is the most suitable and that he may receive ordination from the
Presbytery of Montreal, if not previously ordained at home, which is not
probable. In taking measures for procuring such a person, the other members

87

of the Presbytery of Montreal, being low country gentlemen, can be of no
further assistance, than giving the sanction of their authority to such of your
proceedings as may require the same. But there are private gentlemen in
Lower Canada who are acquainted and connected with clergymen in Ross
and Inverness-shire, and who will gladly give you every assistance in their
power, if you apply to them. But I must repeat, that without timely and
vigorous exertion on your own part, the matter will languish away in useless
talk, a fault very common in all your public transactions. The cause of this
absurdity is that in your public meetings no rules of order are ever laid down.
Every person therefore, speaks when he pleases, and a number of mouths are
open at once, each striving to vociferate over the other, for attention. Let this
disgraceful practice be laid aside. Appoint a president and vice-president at
your meetings, to observe order and particularly to allow only one person to
speak at a time, and then something will be done.

In a weak state of body, I have thus given you my best advice, and very
imperfect as it is, I trust you will listen to it. Whether it shall be the last I
shall be able to give is best known to Him who holds our destiny. It is given
in the spirit of true sincerity, and of the purest regard for your everlasting
interest. And that the God of all wisdom and goodness may guide and
strengthen you, in conducting with effect and despatch, what so nearly affects
your welfare and finally rescue you into the arms of His everlasting love, is the
sincere prayer, my dear friends and brethren of your

Affectionate and Faithful Servant,

(Signed) John Bethune.
Williamstown, 16th Sept., 1815.

Deed of St. Andrew's Church Site, Martin town

This indenture made the tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and eleven, between James Reid, of the township of
Charlottenburgh, in the county of Glengarry and eastern district of the
Province of Upper Canada, Gentleman, of the one part, and Alexander Mac
kenzie, Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh McDiarmid,
Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid, and John McMartin, all of Charlotten
burgh, aforesaid, yeomen, agents and trustees for certain members of the
community of Presbyterians in the said township and in the township of Corn
wall, in the said district, of the other part. Whereas the said James Reid is
seized in fee simple, of all that certain piece, parcel, lots or site of land, situate,
lying and being in the said township of Charlottenburgh, and known by the
name of part of lot number twenty-five in the fifth concession of said township,
with a framed house or chapel for public worship for a protestant congregation,
by him the said James Reid thereon erected,

Now this indenture witnesseth, that the said James Reid, for and in the
consideration of the sum of one hundred pounds, current money of the said
province, to be paid to him, in all the month of August next, and for and in the
further consideration of the sum of fifty-two pounds, to be paid to him, his
heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, on the first day of May, one
thousand eight hundred and twelve, and for and in the further consideration of
the sum of fifty-two pounds of said money to be paid as aforesaid on the first
day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and for and in the fur
ther consideration of the sum of fifty-two pounds of said money to be paid as
aforesaid, on the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen,
making in all two hundred and fifty-six pounds of the currency aforesaid, hath
given, granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth give, grant,
bargain and sell unto the said Alexander Mackenzie, Esquire, Ewen Mc
Gregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh McDiarmid, Peter McArthur, Duncan
McDiarmid and John McMartin, agents and trustees, as aforesaid, and their
heirs, all the aforesaid piece, parcel, lot or site of land, containing by admeasure-

88

ment one-fourth part of an acre, be the same more or less, which said piece,
parcel, lot or site of land is butted and bounded or may be further described
as follows: that is to say commencing at a post marked m/m, being a corner
post joining the lands of Malcolm McMartin, of the late John McMartin,
deceased, and Peter Grant, all of said township. Thence east fifteen rods to
the allowance for a road in front of said concession near the bank of the River
Aux Raisins, thence north twenty-four degrees west twelve feet to a post,
thence west, nine rods, more or less, to a post being sixty-seven feet and a half
distant from the beginning corner post marked m/m. Thence north twenty-
four degrees west, sixty-eight feet to a post, thence west sixty-seven feet and a
half to a post, thence south twenty-four degrees east, eighty feet to the place
of beginning, together with all and singular the hereditaments, messuages,
and appurtenances thereunto in anywise belonging, particularly comprehending
the framed house or chapel for public worship aforesaid, and the reversion
and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits of all and
singular the said premises and of every part and parcel thereof and all the
estate, right and title, claim, property, interest and demand whatsoever of
him the said James Reid, of, in, to, or out of the same, or any part thereof,
after the first day of May next, when the said James Reid shall put the said
Alexander McKenzie Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh
McDiarmid, Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid, and John McMartin,
agents and trustees, as aforesaid, in full possession of the same. To have and
to hold the said premises with the appurtenances unto the said Alexander
Mackenzie, Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh McDiar
mid, Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid, and John McMartin, agents and
trustees, as aforesaid, and to their heirs, to the several uses, interests and pur
poses hereinafter mentioned expressed and declared, and to no other use,
interest or purpose whatsoever. That is to say, to the use and behoof of the
Reverend John Bethune, minister of the Gospel, in Charlottenburgh, during
his ministry in the said congregation and afterwards of his successor and
successors in the said ministry, duly appointed by the Presbytery of Montreal
in the Province of Lower Canada, or failing of ^that by any other Presbytery
in His Majesty's Dominions professing the religion of the established Church
of Scotland, and adhering to the doctrine, worship and government of the
same, and by no other Presbytery whatsoever, and also to the use and behoof
of the community of Presbyterians in the townships and district aforesaid,
professing the aforesaid religion and adhering to the doctrine, worship and
government aforesaid, for the purpose of a chapel for public worship and for
no other purpose whatever. And the said James Reid for himself, his heirs,
executors and administrators, doth covenant, grant and agree, to and with the
said Alexander MacKenzie, Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur,
Hugh McDiarmid, Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid and John McMartin,
agents and trustees, as aforesaid, and their heirs, that he, the said James
Reid, now is the true, lawful and rightful owner of all and singular the said
premises hereinbefore mentioned, with the appurtenances and of every
part and parcel thereof, and now is lawfully and rightfully seized in his own
right, of a good, sure, perfect, absolute and indefeasible estate of inheritance
in fee simple, of and in the premises hereby granted, bargained and sold, with
out any condition, limitation of use or uses or any other matter or thing, to
alter, charge, change, incumber, or defeat the same. And further, that the
said James Reid and his heirs, and all and every other person or persons, and
his and their heirs, having or claiming any estate, right, title, trust or interest
of, in or to the said premises hereinbefore mentioned or any part thereof, by,
from, or under him, them or any or either of them, shall and will at all times
hereafter, upon the reasonable request and at the proper cost and charges of the
said Alexander MacKenzie, Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur,
Hugh McDiarmid, Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid and John Mc
Martin, Agents and Trustees, as aforesaid, and their heirs, make, do and exe-

89

cute, or cause or procure to be made, done and executed, all and every such
further and other lawful and reasonable act or acts, devices, conveyances and
assurances in the law whatsoever for the further, better and more perfect
granting, conveying and assuring of all and singular the said premises herein
before mentioned, with the appurtenances unto the said Alexander Mac-
Kenzie, Esquire, Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh McDiarmid,
Peter McArthur, Duncan McDiarmid and John McMartin, agents and trustees
as aforesaid, and their heirs, as by the said Alexander MacKenzie, Esquire,
Ewen McGregor, Archibald McArthur, Hugh McDiarmid, Peter McArthur,
Duncan McDiarmid, and John McMartin, agents and trustees, as aforesaid,
or their heirs or their counsel, learned in the law, shall be reasonably devised,
advised or required.

In witness whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto set their
hands and seals the day and year in this indenture first above written.

Signed, sealed and delivered James Reid

in the presence of us (the Alex. McKenzie

name Grant having been Ewen McGregor

interlined at the fifth line Archd. McArthur

from the bottom of the first Hugh McDiarmid

page before the signing and Peter McArthur

sealing of these presents) Duncan MacDiarmid

John Bethune, John McMartin
Duncan McDiarmid

I certify that a memorial of the within deed is recorded in the Register
(sic) office for the counties of Glengarry, Stormont and Dundas, in the
eastern district of the Province of Upper Canada, at 9 o'clock of Monday, the
13th day of July, 1812, in Liber D, folio 137, memorial No. 148.

J. L. FARRAND,

Registrar.

Deed of Pew

We, the committee for managing the temporalities of the Scotch Presby
terian Church at Williamstown in the Province of Upper Canada, do hereby
give and by these presents do grant unto Duncan MacKenzie of the township
of Charlottenburgh in the said province a pew in the said church. To have
and to hold the said pew as his share of the said church to him the said Duncan
MacKenzie, his heirs, and assigns forever, provided that he the said Duncan
MacKenzie; his heirs, and assigns, shall and will fully abide by the regula
tions of the said church.

Given under our hand at Williamstown aforesaid this 12th day of March,
1818.

Peter Ferguson
John McKenzie
Duncan Ferguson
John Wright
D. McPherson

(Copied from original now in the possession of Mrs. Barbara McKenzie,
Williamstown.)

90

Black River Tithes, 1791

Wheat, etc., from the Black River, Charlottenburgh, 1791

Bushels of wheat

Dond. Me Arthur 2
Dun. McArthur

Jno. Haggart 2

Dun. Mclntire 2

Jno. Mclntire 2

Alexd. Grant 2
Thos. Munro

Jno. Ross 4 oats

Finlay Ross 2 peas

Malcolm McMartin 2

Phillip Ross 2

Ewan McLearon 1 peas N.B. — Mr. McLearon shall be ex-

Dond. Ross 1 peas empted in future from giving

Willm. Urquhart 2 anything whatever.

Hugh Munro
Kenneth Murchison

Dun. McKenzie 2

Alexr. Cameron 2

Peter Ferguson 2

Angus McKay 2
Willm. McKay

Dond. Ross 2
Benjamin Mclntosh
Alexr. Grant

Jno. McMartin 2

Peter Smith 2

Ewen McGregor 2

Angus Grant 2

Peter Grant 1-8 qts.

Jno. McGruer 4

Dond. Campbell 4

Alexr. McPherson 1

Alexr. Ferguson 2

If there by any more grain due for this year by the inhabitants on the
Black River, such as live below the mill, will please deliver it to Mr. Duncan
McKenzie and continue to do so in future.

JOHN BETHUNE.

N.B. — Mr. McKenzie will please to exempt also from this list

of the late 84th Regt., provided he will promise not to swear any more or play
the fool.— J. B.

Mr. McKenzie need not trouble himself with the people of Muddy
Bay, as it will be more convenient for them as well as for the Chisholms to
lodge anything they may give with Mr. Duncan Murchison at Lancaster. — J. B.

(Copied from the original now in the possession of Mrs. Barbara McKenzie,
Williamstown.)

Regimental Discharge

His Majesty's Provincial Regiment, called the King's Royal Regiment of
New York, whereof Sir John Johnson, Knight and Baronet, is Lieut. -Colonel
Commandant.

These are to certify, that the bearer hereof, John MacKenzie, private in
Major Jas. Gray's company, of the aforesaid regiment, born in the parish of

in the county of aged hath

served honestly and faithfully in the said regiment, he is hereby discharged
and is entitled by His Majesty's late order to the portion of land allotted to
each private of His provincial corps who wishes to become a settler in this
province. He having first received all just demands of pay, clothing, etc.,
from his entry into the said regiment to the date of his discharge, as appears
by his receipt on the back hereof.

Given under my hand and seal at arms at Montreal this twenty-fourth
day of December, 1-783.

JOHN JOHNSON.

I, John MacKenzie, do acknowledge that I have received all my cloathing,
pay, arrears of pay, and all demands whatsoever, from the time of my inlisting
in the regiment and company mentioned on the other side to this present day
of my discharge, as witness my hand this 24th day of December, 1783.

(Copied from the original now in the possessfon of Mis. Barbara McKenzie,
Williamstown.)

92

Call to Rev. John McKenzie, M.A.

We, the subscribers, being the committee for managing the temporalities
of the Scotch Presbyterian congregation at Williamstown in Upper Canada,
with the consent and concurrence of the elders of said congregation, feeling
the loss of our late beloved and respected pastor, the Revd. John Bethune,
who for so many years, comforted and guided us with the knowledge of reli
gious truth, and being desirous to have one amongst us to supply his place,
we, in the name and on behalf of the heritors and members of said congre
gation, being assured by good information of the ministerial abilities, piety,
literature and prudence, as also of the suitableness to our capacities of the
gifts of you, Mr. John McKenzie, do heartily invite, call and intreat you to
undertake the office of a Pastor among us and further, upon your accepting
this our call we promise you all dutiful respect and obedience in the Lord;
and that you may be assured of the support and encouragement upon which
you may depend, we hereby bind and oblige ourselves conjointly and sever
ally and our successors in said office, to pay you an annual salary of two hun
dred pounds, Halifax currency, or eight hundred dollars; to furnish you a
dwelling house and Glebe; and it is expected that the fifty pounds which Mr.
Bethune enjoyed from Government, will, as a matter of course, be continued
to his successor.

John Wright
John McKenzie

Williamstown, Peter Ferguson

7th March, 1818 D. McPherson

Alex. McGruer.

We the elders agree to and concur in the above.

Neil McLean, Ruling Elder John Cameron, Elder

John Mclntyre, Elder John McDougall do

Hugh McDonell do John Murchison do

Duncan Murchison do Hugh Munro do

Murdoch McPherson, Elder v John McKay do

Duncan Mclntyre do William Urquhart do

Duncan McKenzie do

Alex. McKenzie

Thomas Munro

R. McLeod, Surgeon

(Copied from "Extracts from records of Glengarry Presbytery" made by
the late G. H. Macgillivray, now in possession of St. Andrews Church Session,
Williamstown.)

Contract for the Erection of the Present Manse

Articles of agreement entered into this twenty-first day of September, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, between
Ranald McDonell, James Cumming, John McKenzie, and James McDonell,
of the township of Charlottenburgh, in the county of Glengarry, in the eastern
district of the province of Upper Canada, yeomen, of the one part, and William
Ferguson, Alexander Urquhart, Peter Grant, John McDonell and Duncan
Grant, Yeomen, of the same place, of the other part.

Witnesseth that the said Ranald McDonell, James Cumming, John Mc
Kenzie and James McDonell do by these presents covenant, promise and agree
to and with the said William Ferguson, Alexander Urquhart, Peter Grant,
John McDonell, and Duncan Grant, to build, erect, and complete a dwelling
house or manse to be erected near the church at Williamstown on a spot
pointed out for that purpose to be built, erected, and completed agreeable

93

to the annexed plan and .specification, for the sum of two hundred and thirty-
nine pounds, Halifax currency, and to be finished on or before the 1st day of
November, 1823. The materials to be furnished and the cellar masoned on
or before the seventh day of May next ensuing the date hereof, by the said
William Ferguson, Alex. Urquhart, Peter Grant, John McDonell and Duncan
Grant, and to commence the kitchen fireplace and bring the flue thereof to the
first floor, payments to be made by the said William Ferguson, Alex. Urquhart,
Peter Grant, John McDonell, and Duncan Grant, as follows, viz.: one-third
in produce at the current price of the country on or before the first day of
February next ensuing; one-third in cash when the building is completed, and
the remaining one-third on the firs^ day of February, 1824.

For the true performance of all and every part of the foregoing agreement
the parties to these presents do bind themselves each to the other in the sum
of three hundred pounds currency to be paid by the party failing to the party
performed.

In witness whereof we do hereunto set our hands and seals the day and
year first above written.

Signed and sealed in

presence of Ranald McDonell

James Cumming
John McKenzie
James McDonald
William Ferguson
Alex. Urquhart
Peter Grant
John McDonell
Duncan Grant

We the undersigned persons do hereby bind ourselves unto the contractors
mentioned in the annexed agreement as security for the payment of such sum
or sums as may be now due or become due on the said annexed contract as
specified therein, and to furnish such materials as are deficient on the said
annexed contract, as witness our hands this 22nd day of September, 1823.

Duncan McMartin
Alex. Grant
Alex. Ross
William McKenzie
James Dingwall

(This copy transcribed from the original now in the possession of James
Dingwall, River Raisin.)

£0 16s. 4|d. Cy. Williamstown, 23rd May, 1826.

Received from Duncan McKenzie the sum of sixteen shillings and four
pence halfpenny, currency, being the balance due from him for the houses
occupied by the Revd. Mr. McKenzie, as his residence previous to building
the present manse.

JAMES DINGWALL.

(Copied from the original now in possession of Mrs. Barbara McKenzie,
Williamstown.)

(In a statement of receipts and disbursements in connection with the
building of the manse, now in possession of James Dingwall, River Raisin, the
above payment is mentioned as being for the rent of Donald Fraser's house.)

94

St. Andrew's Church, Williamstown

Vote taken Dec. 8th, 1875, regarding the Union of the Presbyterian Churches.

Mrs. Dougald Cameron
Catherine Cameron
Ann Cameron
Margaret Cameron
Mary Ferguson
Isabella Ferguson
Isabella Dingwall
Mrs. A. J. Grant
Donald Ferguson
Donald Grant
Dougald Cameron
William Grant
Alex. J. McDonell
Duncan F. McLennan
Duncan Murchison
William Gray
Hugh McKenzie, Elder
A. C. MacDonell do
Malcolm McMartin do
William Campbell do
A. J. Grant, M.P.P. do
John McLaren
Arch. McArthur, Jr.
Duncan B. McLennan

James Dingwall, K.R.
Mrs. James Dingwall
Mrs. Alex. Chisholm
Isabella Chisholm
Mrs. James Dickson
Mary Chisholm
Janet McGregor
Jane McGregor
Mrs. Shaver
Mrs. Watson
Donald Cameron, Elder
Allan Cameron do

For Union 72

Robert Duguid

Donald Kennedy

Mrs. McRae

Margaret Ferguson

John W. Ferguson

Catherine Dingwall

Dr. Jamieson

Jane Ferguson

Robert Robertson

Catherine Campbell

Mary Robertson
John McKenzie

Ann Campbell
Jessie McKenzie

Matilda McKenzie

Jane Dingwall

Mrs. A. C. MacDonell

Thomas McDonell

Mrs. Daniel Campbell

Mrs. Duncan McKenzie

Mrs. Wm. McLean

Mrs. John McKenzie

Janet Ferguson

William Urquhart

Ann Grant

Mrs. William Urquhart

Catherine Stewart

Ann McPherson

Elizabeth McDonald

Mrs. Arch. McDonald

Mary Mclntyre

Arch. McDonald

Nancy Macdonald

Bella McLennan

Duncan Campbell

Mrs. D. B. McLennan

John McArthur, Sr.

James McPherson

Mrs. McArthur

Alex. Grant

Roderick Cameron

John Dingwall

Mrs. Roderick Cameron

Mrs. J. McLaren

Margaret Campbell

James Dingwall

John Robertson

William McGregor

Hugh Munro
John R. Ferguson
Donald McDonald
Mrs. Allan Cameron
Mrs. McKillop ,
Peter Ferguson
Mrs. P. Ferguson
Mrs. J. R. Ferguson
George Grinley
Mrs. James McKillop
Mrs. J. R. McLennan
James Burton
Mrs. James Burton

Against Union 38
Alpin Grant
John McGregor
Mrs. J. McGregor
Mrs. McDonald
Angus McDonald
Robert McKillop
Alex. McGregor
Mary Ann Tyo
Mrs. G. Grinley
Ann McDonald
Mrs. J. McKenzie
Murdoch McDonald
Angus McGregor

95

The Elders

A complete list of the elders of St. Andrew's Church, Williamstown, is
not obtainable.

From various sources the following partial list has been compiled.

When date of ordination is unknown, date in first column indicates that
party named is known to have been an elder at this date.

Name

Ordained

Died

Aged

1804
1804

John McDougall
Hugh McDonell Ossian
John Mclntyre

1790

1849
1836
1844

98
86
88

1804

Duncan McKenzie

1804

Duncan IVIcIntyre

1804

Duncan Murchison

1818
1818
1818

Col. Neil McLean, Ruling Elder
Murdoch McPherson
John Cameron

1818

John Murchison

1818

Hugh Munro

1818
1818

John McKay
\Villiam Urciuhart

1831

79

1831
1833
1833

John McGillivray, Ruling Elder
Duncan Grant
John Fraser

1836
1834

74
62

Gregor McGregor
James Dingwall.
Malcolm McMartin Capt

1833

1848
1869
1840

69

72
48

Farquhar Ban McLennan

1833

1868

73

1834
1834

James Roy Grant
Donald Campbell
John McLennan
Alex McPherson

1833
1833

1873
1881

75
85

1856

William McKenzie

1858

Duncan McDougall
Alexander McDonell Ossian . .

1853

1871

82

1859

John McDonell
James Urquhart
Hugh McKenzie
Malcolm McMartin

1853

1868
1868

1862
1875
1903
1905

78
82
87
83

96

The Elders— Continued

Name

Ordained

Died

Aged

1R70

Allan Cameron

Alex. J. Grant
William Campbell

1868
1868

1897
1897

67
73

1875

Dan A. Cameron
Alex C McDonell, Ossian

1868

1910

85

1867
1867

1867

1 OAQ

Allan McDonald (Roy)
Alexander Cameron, Capt. .
Alexander Rose
James McGregor

1 870

Rnhprt Tark

1R77

Archibald McArthur

Alex. Dingwall
Robert Robertson
Alex P McDougall

1880
1880
1880

1897
1907
1900

63
85
74

David D. Grant
G. H. MacGillivray
James Dingwall
Angus D. McGregor (ordained in 1876 by
Rev P Watson) Reed

1880
1884
1884

1899

1912
1901

76
71

Alex. P. Ross
Hugh McGregor (ordained by Rev. John
Mitheson) Reed

1899
1899

Ranald J. Grant (now of Kindersley, Sask.)
Alex. A. Grant, S.B
John Charles Dingwall, R.R v
William Robertson

1899
1899
1907
1907

1912
1908

80
54

William McDonald Glen Donald
Alex J McCulloch

1907
1907

1911
1909

68

58

Col. Donald McGregor (ordained in Daw-
son) Reed
J. A. B. McLennan
Duncan R. McLennan
John Dingwall, 4th Con. .
John Cattanach

1912
1912
1912
1912
1912

97

An Interesting Sketch

Written in December, 1904, by George H. MacGillivray, for The Glengarrian.

WilHamstown was the cradle of Presbyterianism in Upper Canada. The
Rev'd. John Bethune came here in 1787. Simultaneously with his coming
to Glengarry, there arrived emigrants from differents parts of the Highlands
of Scotland, as well as companies of disbanded soldiers from the United
States, who from their firm allegiance to the British Crown during the Revolu
tionary war, were designated "Umpire Empire Loyalists" and to whom grants
of land were given at the close of the war in recognition of their services.
While residing at WilHamstown, Mr. Bethune also officiated statedly at Lan
caster, Charlottenburgh (Summerstown), Martintown and Cornwall. He was
a man of great zeal and piety and deservedly esteemed by all who came in
contact with him.

He never faltered in his path of duty, but labored faithfully and affec
tionately over his wide district until his death which occurred 23rd September,
1815, in the 66th year of his age, and 44th of his ministry. His remains lie
interred in the churchyard of WilHamstown, where a monument is erected
to his memory by his six sons, Angus, Norman, John, James, Alexander and
Donald. Two of these sons — having contracted a preference for the other
church — took orders in the Church of England. They are still living (1866).
The one, the Very Rev. John Bethune, D.D., is Dean of Montreal; the other
who for many years occupied the position of Archdeacon of Cobourg was, in
1866, consecrated Coadjutor to the late venerable Bishop of Toronto, under
the title of the Bishop of Niagara. Thus, the singular and interesting anomaly,
it may almost be called, in the Church History of Canada is presented to our
notice, of Presbyterianism having given two consecutive Bishops to the Epis
copalian Church, the first having been a native of Scotland, and educated at
Aberdeen with a view of the ministry in the Presbyterian Church, as may be
fairly inferred from the fact that shortly after his arrival in Canada proposals
were made by him to accept the pastoral oversight of St. Gabriel Street Con
gregation in Montreal, the second, as we have just seen, being the son of a
Scottish Presbyterian minister.

The Rev. John McKenzie succeeded Mr. Bethune in 1818 and was or
dained on the 23rd December in that year. He was born at Fort Augustus,
Scotland, and died in WilHamstown on the 21st April, 1855, aged 65. He was
a faithful pastor, and greatly revered by his flock. That he stood well with
his brother ministers is evidenced by the fact that he was chosen Moderator
of the first Synod in Canada. Warmly attached to his native land, and to the
church of which he was a minister, it may be truly said of him that following
in the steps of his Lord and Master "he went about continually doing good."

On the 4th September, 1856, Mr. Peter Watson was ordained and inducted
to the charge, and is still minister (1868). He is a native of Inverness-shire.

The first church in WilHamstown was a wooden one, built soon after Mr.
Bethune arrived. It was replaced by one of stone in 1809 or 10. From weight
of snow on the roof, it fell one Sabbath morning — fortunately the congregation
had not assembled. The present quaint-looking, but large and comfortable
stone church, was erected on the same site in 1812. It has recently been re
paired and embellished at considerable outlay, and during last summer a
massive iron fence was placed in front of it. The congregation is large and
respectable, a considerable number of them still retaining a preference for
"the Gaelic." Mr. Watson officiated in English and Gaelic here as well as in
the church at Charlottenburgh (Summerstown).

The foregoing historical sketch by Mr. Croil, author .of the History of the
County of Dundas, ends with the year in which it was written, 1866.

98

Events of most importance in the intervening years may be briefly told.
The ministry of Mr. Watson continued until the summer of 1876, when he,
together with not a few worthy members, severed his connection with the
congregation from conscientious aversion to what he regarded as a defection
from the Church of Scotland, or an exchange of membership in that church for
membership in a union of Canadian Presbyterian churches. He ministered
to those of his old congregation who shared his views until age and infirmity
intervened, and resided in Williamstown, most deservedly esteemed by the
whole community, until his death on the 1st of August, 1903, at the age of 75.

The Rev. Alexander Macgillivray succeeded Mr. Watson on the 21st
September, 1877. The ten years during which he laboured for the good of his
people, with all the strength of a young, vigorous and consecrated manhood,
was a time of expansion and growth in every department. The church, which
had been repaiied and improved in 1852, was renovated with a thoroughness
and adaptation to modern requirements and the old, quaint appearance of the
building, that left nothing to be desired. Upon his transfer to Brockville in
the summer of 1887, much to the regret of the people of St. Andrew's, it was
recorded, by those who knew, that through his instrumentality more than his
stipend had been collected and expended in the improvement of church prop
erty, and to this was added the significant statement that his most effective
work was not in connection with material things.

The Rev. Mr. Govan has enjoyed a large and constantly increasing meas
ure of the confidence and esteem of his people since his induction on the 27th
June, 1888. A happy peculiarity of the people of St. Andrew's is that they
think there is no church the equal of old St. Andrew's, no minister equal to
theirs, no church union or organization, more united by common interests and
sympathies, and that the world cannot offer them a last resting place more com
fortable than the church yard of old St. Andrew's.

Nor is this peculiarity, if it can be so called, without reasonable foundation
from their point of view. This was a church and burial ground of pioneers
of the country, mostly United Empire Loyalists. It has been, and is the
church and burial ground of their descendants to the third, fourth and even
fifth generation. The ancestors of a proportion of those who gather within
the church, from week to week, have been similarly associated for generations.

To few churches in Ontario are the following verses of Emerson more
applicable than to St. Andrew's, Williamstown:

We love the venerable house,

Our fathers built to God,
In heaven are kept theii grateful vows,

Their dust endears the sod.

Here holy thoughts a light have shed,

From many a radiant face,
And prayers of humble virtue made

The perfume of the place.

And anxious hearts have pondered here,

The mystery of life,
And prayed, the eternal light to clear

Their doubts, and aid their strife.

From humble tenements around,

Came up the pensive train,
And in thy church a blessing found

That filled their homes again.

99

For faith and peace and mighty love,

That from the Godhead flow,
Showed them the life of Heaven above

Springs from the life below.

They live with God, their homes are dust,

Yet how the children pray,
And in this fleeting lifetime trust

To find the narrow way.

On him who by the altar stands,

On him thy blessings fall,
Speak through his life thy pure command,

Thou, heart that lovest all.

Gifts Received at Centenary Celebration

Pulpit: Rev. A. MacGillivray, D.D., Toronto.

Communion Table: Col. D. M. Robertson.

Velour Curtains and Fixtures: Mrs. Farquhar Robertson.

Elders' Chairs: His Honor Judge James McLennan.

Individual Communion Set: Henry Hunt, M.D., Toronto.

Bible and Book of Praise: Bonar Congregation, Toronto.

One Thousand Dollars Endowment: David Grant, South Branch.

100

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